Amidst the one-year conflict in Sudan, a significant exodus has been triggered, with Save the Children reporting a staggering 1,000 individuals fleeing daily across the border to South Sudan.
The relentless influx, totaling over 600,000 since last April, is placing immense strain on a region already grappling with severe hunger and its worst heatwave in four years.
Save the Children highlights the dire circumstances faced by these families, many of whom arrive with nothing, having endured unimaginable horrors during their escape. Children, in particular, recount witnessing loved ones being killed on their journey to safety.
The scorching heat exacerbates the plight of exhausted refugees, mostly arriving by foot or donkey cart, who are then crammed into overcrowded trucks for a grueling two-hour journey to Renk’s overwhelmed transit centers. Here, over 15,000 people, five times the intended capacity, endure harsh conditions with limited access to food, water, and healthcare, often resorting to makeshift shelters outdoors.
Their onward journey presents further challenges, with hundreds packed onto barges for a two-day voyage down the Nile or enduring a 12-hour truck ride to a refugee camp. For many, this marks a second displacement, having sought refuge in Sudan in 2013 amidst violence in South Sudan.
Despite a peace deal in 2018, South Sudan remains entrenched in one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with nearly 75% of its population reliant on aid even before the influx from Sudan.
The surge in arrivals strains already limited resources, with a UN appeal for $1.8 billion to support South Sudan’s relief efforts only 18% funded. Save the Children’s CEO, Inger Ashing, emphasized the urgency of the situation during her visit to Renk, calling for immediate international support, particularly for traumatized children.
However, amidst the hardship, South Sudan offers a glimmer of hope for those fleeing the war, serving as the primary destination for approximately 1.75 million refugees from Sudan. Save the Children has established Child-Friendly Spaces in Renk, providing a safe haven for children to play, learn, and receive vital psychosocial support.
