TED Health The doctor on a mission to build a healthier South Sudan with Yohanis Riek | from TED Talks Daily
Mar 31, 2026
Yohanis Riek, a physician and social entrepreneur from South Sudan who founded YoCare to bring primary care to remote communities. He recounts his journey from nomadic life and wartime conscription to building locally led health services. Conversations cover community ownership, peer training models, surviving sudden donor cuts, and designing resilient, locally driven health partnerships.
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From Child Soldier To First Doctor In His Community
- Yohanis Riek was conscripted as a child soldier, later sponsored to attend school and became the first doctor from his community.
- He founded YoCare (UO Care South Sudan) in 2009 while in medical school to bring primary care and infectious disease control to remote areas.
Turning Patients Into Local Health Providers
- YoCare's model trains patients and community members to become service providers, turning care recipients into local health workers.
- Example: a former patient Lillian became a peer navigator who now identifies and refers others for testing and treatment.
Sudden USAID Cut Threatened YoCare's Existence
- In 2025 USAID abruptly suspended funding, cutting YoCare's supported population from 60,000 to 32,000 and staff from 53 to eight.
- The sudden cut threatened closure and left communities asking, Why did you cut this?