‘We never know when electricity will be available as it never has a definite schedule,’ says Aker Deng with a sigh. ‘We live each day as it comes with its own uncertainties. There is a private electricity supply run by individuals who buy generators and supply power. This is how I get power for my hair salon in Rock City, Juba. It is extremely expensive – and rationed. I spend about 25 per cent of my income just for electricity.’
In South Sudan, where Deng lives, the UNDP estimates just five per cent of the population has access to electricity.
