South Sudan: Fresh hope in «Camp Zero»

When the first shots rang out in Khartoum, time was of the essence. Like tens of thousands of others, Mary Chol (48) fled south with her six children. By chance, they found space on an open truck, but the journey was arduous. «Again and again, we saw children dying of exhaustion and hunger,» Chol later recalled. When she finally arrived in South Sudan, she and her children were completely exhausted.

That was in June 2023. Since then, over 870,000 people have fled to South Sudan to escape the war. Mary Chol managed to reach a refugee camp near the border town of Renk. There she met Nyanyuol Miakol (31) and her family. Their stories are similar: both are originally from South Sudan and fled to the Sudanese capital Khartoum in 2013 because of the fighting. They built a new life there – until the current war forced them to return to South Sudan.

Psychological support is essential

Today, Mary Chol and Nyanyuol Miakol live in precarious conditions in ‘Camp Zero’. The name reflects the situation of the refugees: many arrived with nothing but the clothes on their backs – no money for the onward journey, no prospect of a piece of land they could cultivate.

Caritas Switzerland and its partners – the local NGOs African Development Aid and Caritas Juba – are laying the initial groundwork for a fresh start. In 2024, they were able to support a total of 4,768 people in refugee camps in South Sudan, providing small amounts of cash, emergency medical assistance and training for healthcare workers.

Psychological support too is essential to help them process traumas and cope with the current situation. After all, everyday life in camps like ‘Camp Zero’ is full of privation. Mary Chol and Nyanyuol Miakol live in tents and are still dependent on humanitarian aid almost two years after their arrival. Both of them actually want to return to their home village in South Sudan. But the journey would be expensive and dangerous.

That’s why they remain in ‘Camp Zero’. The child-friendly space offers some relief. Their children are looked after there in the mornings and afternoons, and they are allowed to sing, play or draw.

The mother of eight hopes that one day she will be able to earn enough money to feed her children properly. Her fellow sufferer Mary Chol adds: