Sudan Refugee Crisis in South Sudan
Sudan Refugee Crisis in South Sudan
On our shorthand page, explore personal stories of Sudanese refugees risking everything to survive and gain insight into the hardships faced by millions fleeing the war-torn country.
The Sudan crisis is one of the world's largest displacement emergencies, with 12 million people forced to flee due to ongoing conflict. Nearly 3.5 million have left Sudan since April 2023, seeking safety in Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Libya, South Sudan, and Uganda. Despite stretched resources, neighboring countries continue to offer refuge. This crisis is unfolding amidst an already fragile situation. Sudan is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and natural disasters. The combined effects of conflict and climate change have left communities struggling to survive. Famine has already been declared in some areas of Sudan further deepening the humanitarian crisis and putting millions of lives at immediate risk.
The scale of the crisis is staggering. Every day, more than 1,500 people arrive at transit centers in Renk, South Sudan which is now operating at five times its intended capacity. Oxfam is assisting people in Renk by installing emergency drinking water systems, hygiene facilities, cash assistance and dignity kits to over 150,000 people crossing the border from Sudan and seeking refuge in South Sudan.
Oxfam is also assisting Sudanese refugees seeking humanitarian assistance in eastern Chad. So far, 723,000 Sudanese people (201,000 families, mostly women and children) have entered Chad, along with more than 200,000 people from Chad returning to their home country.
Small cash payments stabilize life for refugee family in South Sudan - Shamia Ali
The struggle to survive becomes a little easier with financial support from Oxfam
By Fatuma Noor
The flight from conflict in Sudan with her family, while she was six months pregnant with her daughter, was a difficult journey. But in many ways Shiama Ali’s challenges were just as hard after arriving in South Sudan.
“The situation was so difficult then when we arrived,” Ali says. As the family had no money, and her husband was ill, Ali had to find a way to support their three children -- and one other coming soon. “I had to go to the forest to collect firewood for sale, which is three hours away when you walk – and I was pregnant.”
“There was no one to help me. I was the one responsible for everything at home.”
Refugee influx to South Sudan
Ali and her family are among more than 1 million Sudanese refugees (and returning South Sudanese residents) fleeing violent conflict and seeking shelter in South Sudan. The violence in Sudan is now also precipitating a famine, according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) in a report issued in December 2024. “Half of the population (24.6 million people) is facing high levels of acute food insecurity driven by the devastating conflict, which has triggered unprecedented mass displacement, a collapsing economy, the breakdown of essential social services coupled with poor humanitarian access.” The IPC report describes famine conditions in five areas of Sudan with many more projected to be in famine by March 2025.
Ali and her family are living in a makeshift wood-framed, plastic-covered shelter along with two other families. Ali’s family area is separated from the others by a screen of worn-out cloth, and they all cook outside using charcoal for fuel. Their dwelling is jammed together among thousands of other refugee families.
Oxfam is assisting people in Renk, a town bordering Sudan, by installing emergency drinking water systems, toilets, and bathing facilities. In addition, Oxfam is providing hygiene and dignity kits – with essential items like soap, detergent for washing clothes, and toothbrushes and toothpaste. The dignity kits provided to women also have underwear, menstrual items, and a solar-powered flashlight. Water, sanitation, and maintaining proper hygiene are essential to avoid water-borne diseases such as cholera, which has proven to be a serious threat: In October 2024, the Ministry of Health in South Sudan declared a cholera outbreak in Renk with hundreds of cholera cases now reported. Local conditions such as overcrowding continue to contribute to further to the spread of the disease.
By the end of 2024, Oxfam has assisted more than 140,000 people crossing the border from South Sudan and seeking refuge in South Sudan.
Cash as a form of protection
“The most challenging thing here is lack of food,” Ali says. “Every home is facing hunger. Sometimes, as we are sleeping and you will hear a child crying loudly. When you ask why the child is crying, they will tell you “the child has not eaten any food.”
“Lack of food is the biggest problem.”
To find money to buy food for her family, Ali walked into nearby forest areas to gather firewood, which she hauled back to the camp to sell. This can be dangerous for women who are walking long distances by themselves.
To help improve security for women, Oxfam is providing cash – so far, Oxfam has distributed multi-purpose cash assistance to 32,247 people in this area of South Sudan.
“When Oxfam helped me, I stopped going to the forest and started a small business to support myself with the cash assistance I received,” Ali says, explaining how she buys and sells charcoal. With her first disbursement of cash from Oxfam (about $US80), she also bought clothes for her new-born baby daughter.
With the second cash disbursement of $US 50, Ali invested in some bedding. “When I gave birth, I was sleeping down on the floor (with just a mat) with my daughter and an insect bit her. So, I used the money Oxfam gave me to buy a bed and mattress where all my children now sleep.”
Most crucially, her business and cash assistance from Oxfam has helped Ali afford enough food for the family. “After I got support from Oxfam, my children have never gone hungry. Every time I get profit from the business, I buy some food for them.” Their meals frequently consist of sorghum, okra, and beans.
A limited income, some money for food, and a more comfortable sleeping arrangement has provided a small measure of happiness for Ali and her family. The cash, she says, “has changed my life for better.”
Life in a refugee camp is far from easy, as Ali’s children suffer from health problems and can’t go to school. She sees other pregnant women struggling, and wishes Oxfam and other aid groups could do more to help them.
But Ali is grateful for the cash and other help from Oxfam. “When I came here the first support I got was from Oxfam,” she says. “Oxfam supported me.”
Welcoming Open Hearts - Tereza Joseph
Host communities in Renk balance kindness, climate change, and the Sudan Crisis By Oxfam
Tereza lives in a village located in Abu Khadra, Renk, South Sudan. Her village is on the edge of the border of Sudan. For a living Tereza farms and makes traditional wine to support her eight children. Her village lives in peace and is full of prosperous land with a flowing river nearby to fish if there is a low crop production. Over a year ago, the atmosphere in the surrounding area began to shift. Suddenly the border-town Renk was full of stories of loss, heartache, and war.
Sudan the neighboring country is in the midst of a civil war. Violence broke out on the fifteenth of April in 2023. Nearly one million people have fled the ongoing chaos in Sudan to seek refuge in South Sudan entering through Renk. At the checkpoint in Renk, trucks are dispatched daily to pick up those displaced by the war to transport them to a transit center nearby. Most people continue their journey onwards to relocate elsewhere in the country after spending several days at the transit center in Renk. While others remain, living in makeshift tent waiting for the civil war to pass.
Tereza’s village located by the transit center has been very welcoming to all South Sudanese returnees and Sudanese refugees of war. “We have no issues with the refugees and returnees in our host community. We sit and talk with them. They are very respectful, and we get along. We stay peacefully with them and have no conflict,” says Tereza.
The host community in Abu Khadra are aware of the hardships each person has recently faced in Sudan, in return the villagers welcome them with humanity in their hearts. “The refugees and returnees are similar to us; we all collect firewood and sell it to make money. The little we have, they come to us, and we will give; that is how we have built a relationship. The returnees, especially, we can even accommodate them. What little we have, we will share because we know very well there is a war in Sudan,” says Tereza.
For Tereza and her community the real concerning threat on their minds is climate change. The rainfall pattern is inadequate,” says Tereza. South Sudan is a country highly susceptible to droughts with temperatures rising to over 110 degrees and severe flooding. Farmer’s like Tereza are compromised, as temperatures rise globally and the weather becomes increasingly unpredictable. “We depend on farming and fishing for food. Farming is difficult due to climate change but the fish are still in abundance,” say Tereza. Another concern for Tereza’s village is birds. “I farm for maize and I tried to plant sorghum, but the birds took it all,” says Tereza.
However, an overflow of people traveling through or remaining in Renk does have certain challenges for host communities like Tereza’s village. “There are tensions because all the aid goes to them, and none comes to us; it all goes to refugees and returnees. We need support from Oxfam on education, food, water, and help with farming. Tereza’s community can benefit by learning climate resilient practices to counteract the negative effects of climate change. Tereza’s village is also in need of a borehole for safe clean drinking water.
Tereza’s community is able to work through any rising tension to maintain peace with the returnee’s and refugees entering Renk. “If there are meetings, the refugees and returnees are invited and welcome. We used to stay together with them, and if there were any issues, we sat down and settle any issues with them,” says Tereza. “Our brothers and sisters are returnees, so we have no issues with them and understand. We are happy that they came back to their country. They were refugees in Sudan, but they had come home. Let them be safe here! As for the refugees, we pray that peace will come and let them go back to their country,” says Tereza.
Holding on to hope: shadows of the Sudan war for the most vulnerable - Ayuk Ajak
By Fatuma Noor
The prolonged war in Sudan is causing severe physical, emotional and health stress, to millions escaping the country in search of peace and security.
The story of 33 –year-old Ayul Ajak, a mother of six with visual impairment,highlights the challenges the ongoing conflict in Sudan has on vulnerable communities. Ayul once lived a normal life, working at a biscuit factory in Omdurman, the the second most populous suburb suburb of of Khartoum, Sudan.
On October 2, everything changed. A conflict that had been escalating for months across the country, reached her home where she tried to keep her family safe.
“We were hiding but when the war reached us, I had to take my children and escape. My husband was left behind as we did not have enough for transport fare and I came with my children and sister who had been helping me on the journey” explains Ajak.
From a far, Ajak might seem like any other mother, gently playing with her two year old son. But upon a closer look, it becomes clear that she is blind, the result of a severe health crisis at the end of 2022 that changed her life.
“It started with a severe headache and slowly I struggled with seeing” explains Ajak.
Initially, doctors in Sudan were hopeful, and Ajak’s vision began to improve, with the possibility of full recovery. But then came the war.“I was getting better but because of the conflict, my situation is getting worse due to lack of treatment. I had started to see again- blurry but I could see. But now I cannot see anything” explains Ajak.
Now living in a refugee camp in South Sudan, Ayul is one of many vulnerable persons receiving support from Oxfam, while herchildren, especially the eldest one aged 12,and 9 must now take the role of caregivers to her.
“I get a monthly cash assistance, buckets, dignity kits, soap from Oxfam which has continued to help me since my arrival but with a family of six, I would want to do more to feed my children” she explains.
Unlike most people here, Ajak cannot go to collect firewood or water for her family. “For now, I just sit at home, and my children help me move around. My eldest daughter goes to fetch water, while I help care for the younger ones. I worry for my daughter everytime she leaves home due to insecurity on the road”
Despite the support, conditions in the camp are dire, with limited access to water, health care and hygiene facilities. Ajak and thousands of refugees and returnees live in overcrowded tents and have very little food for their children, while those with special needs face even greater challenges in this harsh environment.
For Ajak, her hope is to get treatment and be able to reverse her blindness but the chances are slim due to lack of health facilities for refugees and returnees and South Sudan health care system.
The war has stolen her vision and her stability, but it has not stolen her hope. She dreams of one day returning to Sudan, reuniting with her family, resuming her treatment, and continuing her work at the biscuit factory. But as the conflict rages on, those dreams feel increasingly distant.
“I wish for two things,” Ajak says. “One is peace, so we can go back to a normal life. And I need to resume my treatment so I can take care of my children.
Ayul’s story is a reminder of the impacts faced by people living with disabilities in conflict zones. Many are already vulnerable even before the war but the horrors of the war leaves them with lifelong physical, emotional and physical wounds .
Oxfam has also provided wheelchairs to people with mobility challenges to help them access essential services such as cash assistance, soap, buckets, dignity kits, and protection services, ensuring their immediate needs are met with care and dignity.
Surviving and healing from loss- Impact of Sudan War - Nadia Issack
By Oxfam
As you enter into one of the overcrowded transit centers in Renk, South Sudan, we are met with a jovial five year old Ismail. With his bright red football jersey and playful spirit, it’s easy to forget the horrors that surround him- his family’s story is one of unimaginable loss.
His 35-year-old mother, Nadia Zehad, seems the complete opposite of him Is dressed in a black long dress and green hijab a, her face is marked by sorrow and pain. Ismail spots her and runs to embrace her.
Nadia invites us to her modest house, consisting of a single bed, a bag of clothes, and a few kitchen utensils. A refugee now, she arrived in Renk, South Sudan, six months ago after fleeing the horrors of the brutal war in Sudan. Nadia worked in a school in Sudan and managed to support her family. But one day, her entire world turned upside down.
“We were hiding from the war that was sorrounding us as we planned our escape. Suddenly, in a moment, I lost everything. Soldiers that had taken over our town broke our doors and killed everyone: my husband, my 15year-old son and my 14-year-old daughter”, explains Nadia unable to hold back tears. “I was in another room, when the shooting stopped, I came out to find their lifeless bodies. There was no time to grieve, no time to bury them. The soldiers took over the town and we had to escape,” she added.
With the phone network down, Nadia was unable to reach her extended family. She took the little she could and escaped with her remaining son on a five-day journey to Jodah, the border crossing into South Sudan. Six months pregnant with twins, the journey was tough.
“On the way we had to hide, run and even pay bribes to the soldiers who were guarding the roads. With my son and pregnant with twins, it was not easy but I was determined to make sure my remaining children survive.”
Tragically, due to the stress, hunger and lack of medical help, she lost her pregnancy during her journey to Renk.
“I lost my unborn children. I kept going because of my son Ismail,” she says. “He’s the only reason I am still alive. I couldn’t save the rest of my family, but I am determined to keep him safe.”
To make ends meet, Nadia sold the extra clothes and phone she brought with her and carefully rations what little aid she receives. Ismail spends his days at a child-friendly space in the camp, where he plays with other children. “We only eat breakfast and dinner,” she says. “That’s how we survive.”
Nadia story is similar to countless others in Renk transit center where over 20,000 refugees and returnees (originally fled the war in South Sudan, only to be displaced again in Sudan), have sought refuge. The transit center now hosting five times its capacity, is filled with women and children who bear the brunt of the nearly 600 days of the war in Sudan. Many, like Nadia, arrived traumatized, injured, and hungry. Nearly one million people have fled Sudan since the conflict began, spilling over into South Sudan—a country already grappling with overlapping crises where over 80% of the population is already in need of urgent humanitarian assistance.
Oxfam support to refugees
In Renk, Nadia received cash assistance, buckets, dignity kits and basic supplies from Oxfam to be able to help her resettle in her new life as a refugee.“Life is not easy here but its safer, we have toilets and bathrooms and I get a bit of cash support from Oxfam where I’m able to buy some food for my son,” she says.
Oxfam in South Sudan has constructed more than 260 latrine stances and installed the emergency water supply and distribution systems. In addition, Oxfam also supported the construction of shower facilities ensuring that people are able to shower with dignity.
By the end of 2024, Oxfam has assisted more than 140,000 people crossing the border from South Sudan and seeking refuge in South Sudan with clean water, cash assistance, dignity kits, soaps among other supplies.
Healing from the war
For her own healing, Nadia visits a women’s councelling centre where those who have lost family come together to grieve and support one another. “It’s a space for all of us to talk to each other, cry and remind ourselves that we are together during one of the harderst period of our lives” explains Nadia.
More than a year since the start of the war, women and children are bearing the brunt of the crisis. Millions of school- age children are missing out on their education and women report widespread cases of sexual violence in Sudan. 18 million people face acute hunger, a number that is set to surge as the lean season fast approaches.
For Nadia, her future remains uncertain. While she holds a deep love for her country, the scars of her loss run too deep to imagine returning soon. Her hope revolves around her son as she dreams for a better life for him - a life where he can get an education and the chance to develop his potential as a footballer and escape the cycle of poverty.
Nearly 600 days since the start of the conflict, three million people have escaped the deadly conflict in Sudan, seeking safety in neighboring countries. Every day the conflict continues, and thousands of people remain on the move.
Africa’s leaders must address weaponisation of rape in Sudan’s conflict
Sudan’s women and girls have endured horrific sexual violence throughout this war. They deserve support and protection - by Fatuma Noor
As head of state met on the margins of the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa 2025 to discuss Sudan’s devastating conflict and come up with strategies to try and put the country on a path to peace and stability.
It is no surprise that Sudan remains at the top of the continent’s agenda. Nearly two years into the war, with tens of thousands dead and millions displaced, the country is now the scene of one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises.
At the centre of this ever-growing crisis are Sudan’s women and girls, who are facing a multi-faceted threat due to the widespread weaponisation of rape within the conflict.
I have just returned from Renk, a town in neighbouring South Sudan where more than a million people fleeing the war, including women and girls who survived the worst imaginable acts of violence, have sought refuge.
In the narrow pathways between the makeshift tents they now call “home”, I spoke with many of them and listened to their stories of pain, loss and shattered dreams.
Afrah*, a fifteen-year-old girl whose youthful eyes carry a deep pain well beyond her years, bravely told me about a dark night in September that changed her life forever.
She said she was alone with her three siblings – aged seven, four and two – in their family home in Khartoum. The war was getting closer and closer, and her mother had left to try and get funds to arrange for the family’s escape South.
They first heard gunshots in the distance, and then witnessed armed men breaking into nearby houses, beating and shooting their neighbours.
Eventually, two of the men broke their front door down, searched the house and realised Afrah was alone with her siblings. They pointed a gun at her and ordered her brothers away, threatening to kill them all if she refused to obey their orders.
Then for almost two hours, they took turns to rape her. She said she tried to remain as silent as possible, fearing if she makes too much noise they may harm her brothers. The soldiers eventually left.
Afrah cleaned herself up, checked up on her siblings, and continued to wait for her mother’s return. When her mum made it back home a few hours later, and saw what soldiers had done to her neighbours, she was overwhelmed by grief. Afrah decided not to tell her what she endured to protect her from further suffering.
Afrah is just one of thousands of women and girls in Sudan who have experienced sexual violence at the hands of fighters. Indeed, rape has become a common weapon of war in Sudan. The perpetrators hardly ever face any accountability, while survivors are left to continue their lives, often in derelict refugee camps, with deep physical and psychological scars and no meaningful support.
Sudan’s war displaced more than 11 million people, including 5.8 million women and girls. Many of them have been subjected to sexual violence during the war, and they continue to face severe challenges in their places of refuge. Even those who made it into neighbouring countries, such as South Sudan and Chad, are not safe and properly cared for. They have little money or resources, and lack access to adequate healthcare. There is rarely anyone around to help them process and overcome their trauma.
In most cases, the only support available to these women are the few safe spaces created by NGOs where they can share their experiences with each other and receive basic medical care.
Women and girls like Afrah, who have endured the worst horrors of Sudan’s war, deserve protection and safety. Leaders meeting today in Addis Ababa must centre them in their discussions and take immediate action to ensure their long-term care and wellbeing. Caring for survivors is a crucial step in bringing this conflict to a definitive end – only when women and girls like Afrah are safe and cared for Sudan can begin to heal.
Today, Africa’s leaders must move beyond empty words and take concrete action to protect Sudan’s women and girls. They must pressure all parties to the conflict to respect international law, and ensure safe, unrestricted humanitarian access to all survivors of sexual violence. Those in positions of power have ignored the vicious weaponisation of rape in this conflict for too long. This is the time to act. Afrah and thousands of others like her are in urgent need of help. We must not ignore their plight.
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