Christian Aid Christmas Appeal: Rebuilding lives in South Sudan

Wednesday November 6th 2024

Amani and Rashid with three of their children at Wedweil refugee camp in South Sudan. The family fled from Darfur in Sudan following the outbreak of war. Credit: Christian Aid/David Macharia

This year, Christian Aid’s Christmas Appeal focuses on the millions of people fleeing civil war in Sudan and living as refugees in South Sudan – already one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable and conflict-affected countries.

The charity is sharing the story of Armani and her husband Rashid, who remember their old life – a time before they became refugees.

The couple lived in the Darfur region of Sudan. Their five children, aged between 3 and 17 were thriving. In Nyala city, Rashid worked as an architectural engineer following his retirement from the army, and Amani worked in a restaurant. But everything changed in April 2023 when war broke out in Sudan.

“The bombing and the shooting was all around us. Two of my neighbours’ houses were bombed, killing four children. A bomb fell on our house but it didn’t explode,” Amani added.

It wasn’t long before they had militants knocking on their door.

“They came looking for my husband as he‘d been in the army. They wanted to take him away. It was very frightening,” Amani explained.

“My husband was out. I called to tell him that these people are waiting to take you away so don’t come home,” she added.

That was the day Amani decided it was too dangerous to remain in Sudan. She packed a few belongings and fled for South Sudan with her husband and two of their children. The journey took seven days and they faced danger throughout.

“We travelled in a convoy of four trucks. There were robbers demanding money from each truck in order to proceed. Most of the money I brought from home was taken and I only had a little bit left when we got here,” she said.

Arriving at Wedweil refugee camp in South Sudan, close to the border with Sudan, Amani and Rashid were among thousands of Sudanese to receive cash support from Smile Again Africa Development Organization (SAADO), a local partner of Christian Aid. This cash support, funded by Irish Aid and the Scottish government, helped refugees buy food and other essentials.

Although Amani and Rashid were relieved to reach safety, they’d had to leave three of their children in Sudan with their grandmother.

“There was heavy shooting as we were leaving, so the children couldn’t return home. When I came here, I couldn’t eat anything because I was sick with worry and I had no phone to speak to them,” Amani explained.

Some weeks later, with Rashid still under threat, Amani made the brave decision to return to Sudan alone, to fetch the children. Despite the danger, all four made it back to the refugee camp where the family was reunited.

Besides receiving cash to buy essentials, SAADO also provided the family with a business start-up grant which allowed Amani to open a food stall that has grown into a popular restaurant in Wedweil market.

Amani feeds watermelon to her three-year-old son Badu. She grew the watermelon on the farm plot she rented with profits from her restaurant. Credit: Christian Aid/David Macharia

Better still, the success of her restaurant enabled her to rent a plot of land where she and Rashid are growing vegetables. The farm feeds the family, supplies the restaurant and they sell the surplus produce for an income.

The family don’t know when or if they’ll be able to return to Sudan. But they have two big ambitions which they hope their business will support. Amani wants to travel back to Sudan to collect her mother, who’s in poor health, and bring her to the relative safety of South Sudan. Amani’s other goal is to fund her children’s return to school.

She explained: “The most critical thing right now is education for my children. It’s my dream for my children to get a good education.”

With just a little start-up support from a Christian Aid funded programme, Amani and Rashid have built a successful business. The income they’re generating isn’t just protecting them and their five children from hunger and malnutrition, it’s also creating a brighter future in the face of conflict and crisis.

Sudanese refugees like Amani and Rashid have been able to start rebuilding their lives thanks to support from Christian Aid’s local partner but further support is needed to reach families in the camp still struggling to survive.

Please give what you can to Christian Aid’s Christmas appeal at caid.ie/Christmas
Please pray for all those who have fled war in Sudan, that God will provide for them and comfort them in their time of need. Please also pray for peace in Sudan so that those who have fled can return to their homes in safety.