Our History

Modesto Agriculture and Development Organization (MADO) was founded in Juba, South Sudan, in response to the urgent humanitarian needs triggered by the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. The pandemic exposed and intensified pre-existing vulnerabilities among marginalized urban and peri-urban populations—marked by a lack of food, limited access to safe water, inadequate hygiene facilities, and widespread economic hardship. Witnessing the rising distress in communities already struggling with poverty and displacement, a group of concerned local professionals and volunteers came together to establish MADO. The organization began as a grassroots initiative, focusing on community-based hygiene education to curb the spread of COVID-19. In its early days, MADO mobilized resources to distribute food assistance to vulnerable families, elderly individuals, and persons with disabilities who were unable to meet their daily needs due to movement restrictions and job losses. Operating with a deep commitment to community-driven solutions, MADO quickly built trust at the local level. Its early success in life-saving interventions during the COVID-19 emergency laid the foundation for its broader mission: to deliver sustainable humanitarian and development services in the areas of health, nutrition, WASH, food security, protection, education, and environmental conservation. Today, MADO continues to serve vulnerable populations across South Sudan, building on its roots in solidarity, resilience, and grassroots action.