South Sudanese Returnees Regain Food Security After Fleeing Conflict in Sudan
John Mathak, 34, a South Sudanese returnee and father of three children, worked in construction in Sudan before the war began in April 2023. Just like many other returnees and refugees who were forced to flee fighting in Sudan with little warning, John did so without money or possessions. He is now accommodated in Abiemnhom by relatives, who also take care of him and his family.
Since the war in Sudan began in April 2023, close to 675,000+ (UNHCR Bordering Monitoring, May 2024) Sudanese refugees (21%) and South Sudanese returnees (79%) have crossed the border points into South Sudan. The majority of whom are women and children.
The existing humanitarian need within South Sudan itself, caused primarily by climate shocks, conflict and poverty, is growing with increased pressure on already strained resources; 72% of the population, approximately 9 million people (International Rescue Committee, 2024), require humanitarian assistance. With the war in Sudan ongoing, prices of food, fuel and other amenities in South Sudan have soared.
In order to provide targeted and directed assistance to those newly arrived individuals fleeing conflict in Sudan, we at Women Agency for Resilience and Transformation (WART) recently concluded our emergency food security and livelihoods (FSL) support project to South Sudanese returnees, like John, and vulnerable members of the host community in Abiemnhom County, which we did so with the generous support of our partners IOM and USAID.
In the beginning, John was apprehensive to register his name for the project, despite his own food security challenges because he was concerned about the length of time seeds would take to mature and produce crops and vegetables. However, after participating in a number of awareness sessions conducted by Women Agency for Resilience and Transformation, he decided to register his household; and with that, he is very thankful for the project. John highlighted:
“As much as my hope was to have fresh food to cater for the current food need, I realised that the seeds are also beneficial. Now, my family and I will have something to start with. We have not farmed for long and these seeds will act as the beginning of a journey for food security in my family. Thank you to WART and the Rapid Response Fund.” – John (RRF FSL project beneficiary)
This three-month project, which ended in April, saw us provide seed and livelihood kits, as well as agricultural training and farming tools to 2,878 registered households, to support them in growing and maintaining their vegetable garden. This then enables individuals to sustainably regain control of their circumstances and begin to rebuild their lives, crucial for sustainable development. In total, as a result of this project, and through the generous support from our partners IOM and USAID, our training and distributions were able to support the livelihood needs of 31,668 individuals within Abiemnhom County.
For those individuals, like John, who fled Sudan with limited means, knowing that there is hope and a future brings great comfort and autonomy. It is through the continued support of our partner organisations, IOM and USAID, that this project has been possible.
