(JUBA) – Humanitarian operations in South Sudan continue to play an important role in shaping local supply chains, skills development and service markets, according to accounts from international aid workers with direct experience in the country.
Gabriel Richardson, a humanitarian logistics and operations specialist with international aid organisation Samaritan’s Purse, has spent several years working across South Sudan as part of emergency response and recovery programmes. His work has focused on logistics, procurement and operations management, areas that are critical to how aid funding moves through the local economy.
Over the past six years, Richardson has supported relief operations in more than two dozen countries, including South Sudan, Sudan, Liberia, Brazil, Syria and Israel. His first deployment to South Sudan was in 2018, when Samaritan’s Purse recruited him as a photojournalism intern. That assignment later developed into a longer term operational role within the organisation.
During his early work in South Sudan, Richardson was involved in reviewing and approving local suppliers to support aid programmes. He said that within seven months, teams assessed around 150 suppliers, rebuilding procurement records and evaluating the capacity of local vendors to deliver goods and services reliably.
This process was aimed at improving accountability and reducing risk in a market where many businesses depend heavily on non governmental organisation spending. Juba hosts a large number of international aid agencies, and competition for contracts is intense.
According to Richardson, suppliers often rely on aid funding as their main source of income, which can encourage poor business practices if systems are weak. Developing clear procurement policies and vetting procedures was therefore a key part of ensuring value for money and transparency.
The experience also highlighted the importance of logistics in humanitarian work, an area often overlooked by the public. From fuel supply to food distribution and transport services, aid operations depend on functioning local markets and skilled personnel.
Following his apprenticeship with Samaritan’s Purse, the organisation created a new role for Richardson as an emergency response operations coordinator in South Sudan. In this position, he continued overseeing logistics and procurement while also training national staff.
Skills transfer was a central focus of the role. Richardson noted that building the capacity of South Sudanese staff created longer term benefits beyond individual projects. Local teams understand the operating environment, culture and community needs better than external staff.
This approach aligns with broader trends in humanitarian programming, where agencies aim to move from short term relief towards recovery and local resilience. The objective is to reduce long term dependence on external support by strengthening local systems.
Alongside his operational work, Richardson also supported community initiatives outside formal aid programmes. One such initiative involved the promotion of skateboarding as a tool for youth engagement and social cohesion in Juba.
In 2021, he partnered with South Sudanese skateboarder Titus Dominic to support Skate to Recover, a local initiative using sport to create safe spaces for young people and encourage interaction across communities. The programme later helped establish the South Sudan Skate Federation, which has since received recognition from national authorities and international sporting bodies.
While not a commercial venture, the initiative reflects how small scale projects can generate demand for local services, equipment and event organisation. Plans are underway to secure land and funding to build the first skate park in Juba, which would involve construction, maintenance and ongoing programme management.
Richardson also runs a content creation business, Let Known, which documents humanitarian and community based initiatives. Visual storytelling, he said, can support programme funding and improve understanding of conditions on the ground.
One example involved documenting the recovery of a South Sudanese woman who rebuilt her home and small business with support from her local church. Such stories, he noted, show how community driven responses can complement formal aid programmes.
Extended deployments and exposure to crisis environments place pressure on aid workers, but Richardson said maintaining personal wellbeing is essential to long term effectiveness. Support from family, faith and regular rest periods helps sustain performance in demanding roles.
From a South Sudan perspective, his experience underlines how humanitarian activity interacts with the local economy. Aid agencies remain major buyers of goods and services, influencing supplier behaviour, employment and skills development.
Improving procurement standards, supporting local capacity and strengthening accountability remain central to ensuring that aid spending delivers lasting economic and social value As South Sudan continues to face humanitarian and development challenges,