Displaced Sudanese rebuild lives in South Sudan with European Union support
Displaced Sudanese rebuild lives in South Sudan with European Union support
Sudanese refugee Radina Mohamed Musa Salem prepares pastries for her small business at Doro refugee camp in Maban County, South Sudan.
When conflict erupted in Sudan in April 2023, Radina Mohamed Musa Salem, a mother of five from White Nile State, fled her burning home. During an attack on Al-Jazirah State, communication networks collapsed, severing Radina from her husband, Ali, and three of their children.
“I was entirely alone when I gave birth to our last child,” Radina recalls. “I was so weak, and with the phone networks down, I did not even know if my husband and older children were still alive. All I could do was pray that God would bring us back together.”
Driven by the hope of finding her family, Radina crossed the border into Renk, South Sudan, in December 2024. Upon arrival, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and its partners registered her and provided essential relief items, including blankets, and sleeping mats. Shortly after, a chance encounter with a family friend in the transit area led to a life-changing phone call.
“When I finally heard Ali's voice on the phone after almost a full whole year, it felt like my soul had returned to my body,” she says. “When we got reunited in Renk, I was happy to see them again.”
With the transit centre operating far beyond its capacity, families registered for voluntary relocation to refugee sites across the country, where they could access basic services such as schools, livelihoods, and clinics. Radina’s family signed up for relocation, and in early 2025, backed by vital funding from the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (EU ECHO), UNHCR and partners organized safe transport for Radina’s family, relocating them to Doro refugee camp in Maban. Upon arrival, they were further supported with emergency shelter and essential items like cooking pots and solar lights.
After settling in Maban, Radina took decisive action to support her family financially. She sold some of the property she had managed to bring from Sudan to raise capital for a small business, eventually securing a steady income by baking Balah Al-Sham, a popular Sudanese pastry.
“I wake up at 3 a.m. every day to bake,” she says. “It is exhausting, but it is worth it. Now, when my children ask for something they need, I do not have to turn them away. That is what keeps me going.”
Radina’s experience illustrates the complex reality of displacement caused by the Sudan conflict. While immediate physical safety and family reunification are critical milestones, sustained long-term solutions are required to ensure long-term stability for both displaced populations and communities hosting them. UNHCR’s emergency response provides a vital foundation for displaced families arriving with nothing, including support at border points, relocation assistance, and essential relief items.
This rapid, life-saving response depends heavily on consistent donor support. Contributions from international partners, such as EU ECHO, fund emergency shelter materials and relocation services.
“Radina’s journey is a powerful testament to the resilience of the Sudanese people fleeing the conflict in Sudan, which has been ongoing for more than three years now,” says Silva Alkebeh, UNHCR Head of Office in Maban, South Sudan. “While our immediate priority is providing life-saving assistance at border points like Renk, our long-term focus is to help families in Maban and other refugee sites throughout the country rebuild their lives and livelihoods. When provided with basic stability and security, displaced communities demonstrate an immense capacity for self-reliance.”
