When violence broke out in South Sudan, three sisters – between 3 and 6 years old – joined the rush for the border. They were alone with no way of knowing what lay ahead of them.
Their cousin, Tabitha explains how the kindness of a stranger brought her three nieces to her safely.
“When fighting broke out, my young cousins were at home alone. They followed the crowds of people fleeing to safety, not knowing where they were going. A man found them and looked after them throughout the journey until they got to Uganda. He handed them over to me because he knew me from back home and was aware that they are my cousins.”
Tabitha Yar Ajieth, 26, a married mother of one has been in a refugee camp in northern Uganda since December 2013. Her husband has since returned home to South Sudan while she looks after her son and cousins.
The food rations Tabitha receives are not enough for her and her cousins as they are yet to be registered. They were lucky to get an extra set of clothes. Despite the tough conditions in the camp, she is happy to look after the children.
Children often suffer the most in situations of conflict because they are too young to protect themselves from the devastating effects of violence. Unlucky ones end up separated from their parents and guardians and have no one to turn to for help. Many South Sudanese children have suffered this fate, finding themselves enduring the long journey, replete with uncertainty and difficulties, alone, as they escape danger at home.
“The Red Cross identifies unaccompanied minors when refugees enter a country. With no facilities available to house these children, younger ones are placed in the care of foster families while efforts are put in place to trace their parents or relatives,” said Akasa Adiges, Uganda Red Cross . “We are sometimes successful in our attempts to reunite families, but in some cases not. We may be lucky enough to find a relative of the children. If not we place them under the care of a foster family.”
Escalating violence in South Sudan has given rise to massive population displacement both within South Sudan and into neighboring countries, especially in Uganda. The Red Cross is focusing on supporting the reception centers and the refugee settlements by improving water, hygiene conditions, improving health and psychosocial wellbeing.
Susan Onyango, IFRC