A Healthier Future for South Sudan's Families

Imagine that fighting has broken out between rival groups in your town, and it’s so dangerous that you can risk your life just by going to the grocery store or to your job.

Every day around the world, people are forced to make the life-altering decision of leaving their homes behind, to escape conflict, persecution or natural disaster. Sometimes it’s temporary, such as when a hurricane or tornado hits a community, and homes and businesses are destroyed and must be rebuilt. Sometimes forced displacement stretches on — for months, years or even decades.

The number of displaced people in the world has now surpassed 103 million—the highest number in human history. It’s a hard number to imagine. (Picture almost 1,500 US football stadiums at full capacity.) Behind that unimaginable number are more than 103 million individuals—mothers, fathers, grandparents, sisters, brothers and children—who faced a life-or-death choice, and have upended their lives in their quest to protect their loved ones and survive.

When people flee, two things happen. They become internally displaced persons (IDPs), taking up residence inside their country—in shelters, camps, homes of family or friends, or any other accommodations they can find. Or they leave behind their countries altogether to seek refuge in a new country, where they may not know anyone, may not speak the language and often lack the legal status or ability to get a new job and start over.

People like this are usually not asking for much—most want little more than safety for their families and a future for their children. Here is the story of South Sudanese student who lives as a refugee.

In 2013 I was a student at Upper Nile University, but when the war broke out, I could no longer continue my studies. I was forced to leave my home, and I sought safety in a United Nations compound. After eight months, we were transferred to a camp for internally displaced people in Juba, where I have been living since 2014.

In 2019, I joined International Medical Corps as a Community Health Worker. I conduct awareness-raising activities and other health services in my community. Working with International Medical Corps has given me an opportunity to help my community and to earn money to be able to continue my education. My dream is to have peace in South Sudan because when there is peace, we will return to our homes. Life is very hard in the IDP camp.