A roundup of a few key stories last week on social issues in Sudan and South Sudan:

MSF constructs 50 bed cholera treatment centre (Catholic Radio Network, 24 May 2014) – The medical NGO, Medecins Sans Frontieres, has constructed a 50-bed treatment centre for patients suffering from an outbreak of cholera in the Gudele area of South Sudan’s capital. MSF said that the centre could be extended to include 100 patients in one of the most affected areas of Juba.

Severe drinking water crisis in Bahr El Arab, East Darfur (Radio Dabanga, 25 May 2014) –  Residents of Siad Bara, located in southern East Darfur, have complained of water shortages as all three wells in the area are not operational.  The residents called for authorities to take urgent action as large numbers of livestock have died of thirst and, in order to collect water, they must spend over 5 hours travelling with donkeys.

'48,000 displaced in West Kordofan need aid': UN (Radio Dabanga, 23 May 2014) – A joint assessment mission by the Sudanese Humanitarian Aid Commission alongside UN and NGO staff found that 48,000 displaced people living in Sudan’s South Kordofan state are in need of aid.

Vocational skills students graduate in Kapoeta East county (Sudan Tribune, 24 May 2014) – 123 men and women recently graduated with vocational qualifications in Kapoeta, South Sudan’s Eastern Equatoria State. The numbers of women qualifying were particularly high as 57 women graduated in tailoring, 38 men in auto mechanics, while a group of 13 men and 37 women graduated in entrepreneurship.

South Sudanese reach for bright future in basketball (20 May) – Players and coaches at basketball courts in Juba explain the benefits and challenges of playing the sport in South Sudan’s largest city. A number of the most competitive teams in the city are still training and playing, in spite of the national crisis situation.