The son of Nadia Zahad, a refugee from the Sudan war, proudly displays his artwork created at a child-friendly center in Renk. The center provides a safe space for children to play and express themselves through art. (Photo: Herison Philip Osfaldo/Oxfam)
Written by Fatuma Noor
As you enter 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 long black dress and green hijab. 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 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.
Nadia Zahad, a refugee from the Sudan war, recounts how she lost her entire family to the conflict. Now displaced in South Sudan, she is focused on rebuilding her life with her son, Ismail. (Photo: Herison Philip Osfaldo/Oxfam)
"We were hiding from the war that was surrounding 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 15-year-old son, and my 14-year-old daughter."
“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, unable to hold back tears.
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 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 it’s 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."
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, and soaps, among other supplies.
Healing from the war
For her own healing, Nadia visits a women’s counseling center 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 hardest periods of our lives,” explains Nadia.
Nadia Zahad, a refugee from the Sudan war stands outside her makeshift home in Renk, South Sudan. (Photo: Herison Philip Osfaldo/Oxfam)
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 of 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.