Riverboat to Freedom

Rescuing the Masses as Thousands Await Asylum in South Sudan

They wait in long lines, sometimes for days, to get on a rescue boat that will transport them down the river to safety. Since fighting broke out in Sudan’s capital in April, nearly 200,000 people have crossed the borders into South Sudan – many being returning South Sudanese who fled to Sudan years ago during the civil war.

Now they’re leaving everything behind and risking their lives to return to South Sudan, because it’s too dangerous to remain. Some are injured in the escape. Some have run out food and water while they wait for transportation to get out of the country. The Malakal refugee camp near the northern border has seen 17,000 people arrive in the past four months alone. The numbers continue growing daily.

The majority of refugees arriving “are women, children, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable people,” according to a recent Caritas report. Malnutrition among women and children is reportedly high due to the shortage of food assistance.

Recently the Vatican Secretary of State and Apostolic Nuncio to Kenya and South Sudan visited the Malakal camp, to assess the needs and encourage the people. Sudan Relief Fund partner on the ground, Fred Otieno, accompanied the visitors to demonstrate the plight of the refugees.

Sudan Relief Fund and partners are working diligently to provide basic food and shelter to the masses of incoming refugees, as well as clean water and hygiene items. In the meantime, thousands remain trapped in Khartoum or Sudan, trying to get out.

In May, Sudan Relief Fund supporters helped furnish a rescue boat to transport trapped refugees to safety. The boat carries 800 passengers over a two-day journey to the northern border of South Sudan. Your support has kept this lifeline running.

Thanks to you, we are bringing thousands of desperate people out of the war zone.

But so many are still waiting for help. With the necessary resources, it costs just $55 per person to transport each passenger out of danger and potentially save a life. That’s $55 a person to rescue families from the horrors of war raging around them. Funds also help provide a little food to exhausted families during the two-day journey.

Please continue to partner with Sudan Relief Fund to help displaced people during this perilous time. Imagine being caught in the middle of a sudden violent uprising and having to evacuate your family. $55 rescues a life in danger and transports innocent people to a safer place.

Help is needed right now. Can you share $55 to rescue one person? Time is critical. If you can, please reach out today.

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A Place to Call Home Takes Shape for St. Bakhita’s Orphans

Thanks to your partnership, the dream of building a safe and stable home for more than 100 orphans is shaping into a reality.

We’re pleased to share that construction is underway on the new St. Bakhita’s Orphanage in Nzara, which will house a group of children who not only lost their families, but had to flee from the orphanage’s previous location when ongoing violence in Tombura Yambio made it too dangerous to stay.

Many of our sponsors have followed the courageous story of Bianca Bii, who for decades has served as the matriarch of St. Bakhita’s Orphanage, and her commitment to protect the children through great peril and risk to herself.

When St. Bakhita’s orphans were evacuated for their safety this past year, the location of Nzara was chosen due to its stability and proximity to educational and healthcare opportunities that will now be readily accessible to the children.

The vision is to provide a stable, long-term home where St. Bakhita’s children can grow up attending school and receiving the invaluable healthcare at nearby St. Therese’s Hospital. The Sudan Relief Fund supported facility is currently the only hospital operating in the entire region and represents a place of hope for thousands of people seeking medical care.

At nearly 80 years of age and previously the primary (sometimes only) caregiver, Sister Bianca will be able to partner with a nearby order of nuns in Nzara to provide additional childcare and support for the daily operations of the orphanage.

The children’s new home will feature two dormitories (boys’ and girls’), a multi-purpose hall for dining and group activities, a new kitchen, and housing for onsite workers. Thanks to you, it will be the first time in a long while Sister Bianca has had her own bedroom, after sleeping in group settings with the children for years.

As shown in the photos, the foundation and framing is completed for the dormitories. Plaster work is underway in the dorms, and the doors and windows are nearly finished.

We’re excited to share continued progress with you on this project of compassion you’re making possible. Thank you for remembering Sister Bianca and the children of St. Bakhita’s Orphanage with your support and prayers. It has sustained them every step of the way. We’re grateful for the very tangible way you’re showing these children that even though they’ve lost so much, they are not forgotten.

Saving Marsila

Delivering Critical Maternity Care in Nuba

The lack of maternity care in Sudan and South Sudan is tragic. With little or no access to wellness checkups, and often nowhere to give birth other than huts on dirt floors, any complication can become deadly to a mother and her unborn baby.

Every day, patients like Marsila are rushed to Mother of Hospital from surrounding communities in need of urgent medical help when something in their pregnancy goes wrong. Thanks to our supporters, Mother of Mercy is equipped with a maternity ward and operating theater where over 500 mothers each year experience safe, supervised deliveries.

Marsila was only 16-years-old and expecting her first child. She had been in labor for many hours when she arrived at Mother of Mercy Hospital, her mother desperate at her side. Marsila’s body was in great distress with complications of labor that included seizures, convulsions, and high blood pressure. Every time she tried to push, she convulsed.

“Her complications included seizures,
convulsions….Marsila experienced
severe confusion and lost consciousness…”

Marsila was experiencing severe confusion and had lost consciousness during hours of waiting for a referral at their local clinic. 

When she made it to Mother of Mercy Hospital in Gidel she was unconscious and in labor, and immediately rushed into the delivery room. Dr. Tom Catena – missionary doctor and medical director for the hospital – diagnosed Marsila with pre-eclampsia, a serious complication that increases a mother’s blood pressure to dangerously high levels that can damage vital organs. 

Due to her severe condition, Dr. Tom’s team conducted a vacuum-assisted delivery, which is performed when a mother is unable to push during contractions. Thanks to timely emergency intervention, Marsila successfully delivered her newborn baby, Kaka.

“If this hospital wasn’t working, I don’t know what would have happened, but I’m sure that my baby and I would [not have survived],” Marsila shared. “We are very grateful for all the doctors and midwives and the generous supporters who keep the doors of Gidel Hospital open. God bless you all.”

These stories are made possible by your support of Sudan Relief Fund. Thank you for helping us save lives.

Fleeing Sudanese Seek Refuge in Nuba Mountains

Concerns Grow of New Warfront Developing on South Sudan Border

Since violence broke out in April between paramilitary forces and the Sudanese government in the nation’s capital of Khartoum, nearly 180,000 people have fled to the Nuba Mountains, a remote region in the southern part of Sudan, to escape the fighting.

“Most of those arriving are women, young people, and children,” Kojo Shayen Abajo, coordinator of joint civil society organizations, told Radio Dabanga. “They have faced many problems on their way to the Nuba Mountains and are now in dire need of humanitarian and medical aid,” he said. 

Abajo says he is appealing to the UN for urgent intervention, as a large number of Nuban people are still trapped in Khartoum where they are used as human shields. “They need to be evacuated as most of them are very poor, and cannot pay the high transportation tariffs.”

The Nuba people have long suffered persecution at the hand of previous Sudanese governments, none the least during the war for South Sudan’s independence when a brutal regime attempted genocide against them. Sudan Relief Fund partner Dr. Tom Catena, who directs Mother of Mercy Hospital in the Nuba Mountains, was targeted with bombings for years. Dr. Tom continues to faithfully serve the people of Nuba to this day, and is still the only surgeon in all of the Nuba Mountains. He frequently sees more than 500 patients in a single day.

Many of those fleeing Sudan’s current fighting are heading for asylum in South Sudan, but are not able to reach the border when they are stopped and detained in the Nuba Mountains. Refugees are being advised it’s not safe to continue on to South Kordofan, which is located along the South Sudan border, due to Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) forces recently mobilizing there.

The move has many concerned that a new additional front may develop in the war – one situated right along the South Sudan border in the South Kordofan area – while reports are spreading of rising civilian casualties there.

As fighting edges nearer to the Nuba Mountains, Mother of Mercy Hospital expects to see an increase in casualties and injuries arriving from the war soon. Sudan Relief Fund remains in close contact with the hospital to ensure victims of war receive the care they deserve. Read more here.

How Many Refugees Can Fragile South Sudan Absorb?

In a country greatly lacking infrastructure and already facing a severe food shortage this year, South Sudan’s borders continue to swell with massive numbers of Sudanese refugees pouring in daily to escape war in the north.

Overcrowded Camps

As of July 4, nearly 150,000 people have crossed points of entry into South Sudan. One in every five was identified as vulnerable, including unaccompanied children, the severely elderly, pregnant mothers, or those in need of medical attention, according to an OCHA report.

Many are identified as malnourished from their journeys, arriving at overcrowded camps with weakened immune systems which make them at risk for disease. Already measles outbreaks are reported and vaccination campaigns are underway in refugee camps, along with training in infection prevention and control.

Woman carrying supplies on her head: At least one in five refugees arrive malnourished, while aid organizations contend with disrupted transportation routes to deliver food relief.

Rainy Season

The onset of rainy season further compounds transportation efforts, both to distribute desperately needed supplies, as well as help refugees continue on to destinations beyond the camps, since many are native South Sudanese who fled to Sudan years earlier during the civil war. With some of the worst road systems in the region, the rains turn what routes there are into layers of mud impassable to most vehicles.

Disrupted Food Supply

The conflict in Sudan also disrupted major food supply routes. Juba and Wau in Central Equatoria and Western Bahr el-Ghazal states are scrambling to serve as new hubs for food distribution to the northern regions of South Sudan, as food prices in the nation continue to skyrocket.

Strain On Water Sources

Between 90,000 – 120,000 liters of water are required every day in Upper Nile State according to a report by OCHA, and 50,000 liters daily at the Renk border camp alone. Food, shelter, and sanitation are considered areas of great urgency, with humanitarian and government partners working to address the burgeoning needs.

Child protection is of growing concern, particularly among separated or orphaned children, to prevent exploitation of children and vulnerable girls. At some entry points, efforts are underway to identify those at greatest risk with wristbands and prioritize their transportation to secure locations, or connect them with caseworkers to pursue reunification with family members.

Youths Escaping Forced Recruitment

Another concerning trend is the arrival of single youths, students, or recent graduates seeking asylum in South Sudan to avoid forcible recruitment into the Sudanese conflict. Many of the incoming Sudanese are from urban areas near the capital, not trained or equipped to survive the agrarian lifestyle more commonly found in South Sudan. 

Little girls in matching dresses sitting on the ground: As numbers in the camps swell far beyond capacity, concerns grow over child safety and exploitation.

Help Needed Immediately

As humanitarian organizations rush to prepare for thousands of additional refugees anticipated to keep arriving, concerns about reaching the tipping point for South Sudan’s strained resources remain an underlying source of apprehension. Continued dependence on outside aid is paramount.

With your help, Sudan Relief Fund is poised to distribute refugee kits to families in need across camps in South Sudan. Refugee kits are inexpensive but invaluable resources that provide the emergency supplies desperate and displaced people of all ages need to survive. If you feel moved to help in this growing humanitarian crisis, please go here today to send help: https://sdnrlf.com/campaigns/displaced-sudanese-overwhelming-south-sudan/.

Marsa

Pregnant Mother Stricken by Poisonous Snake Bite

When most expecting mothers are two weeks from delivery, they’re busy making sure everything is ready for the new baby’s arrival. Something no mother prepares for is suffering a potentially deadly bite from a poisonous snake.

That’s the scenario a terrified Marsa found herself in as she cleaned the house that morning. Poisonous snake bites are a continuous threat in South Sudan, especially at night. This one had taken refuge inside Marsa’s house during the night, and she unwittingly encountered it in the morning. Marsa suddenly incurred a poisonous bite in one strike before she barely had time to realize what was happening.

Instantly filled with concern for the life of her baby as well as her own, Marsa was taken immediately to a nearby herbalist known for removing poison from people bitten by snakes or scorpions. She stayed at the treatment facility for two weeks. During her stay, Marsa went into labor and gave birth to a baby girl she named Amiza.

Marsa was discharged and sent home, but she was by no means healed. A large, swollen wound developed around the snake bite, and Marsa was in so much pain she couldn’t sleep. The wound continued to worsen, as did her pain. Marsa grew worried. How could this 25 year-old mother take care of three children and the new baby? She feared the snake bite could become fatal.

As her condition grew worse, Marsa was taken to the nearby Reka Clinic, where they kept her for three days. But she didn’t improve. The clinic told Marsa to make her way to Mother of Mercy Hospital. If she could be helped, it would be there she would find the treatment she needed.

By the time Marsa arrived with her new baby girl in tow, her bite had become gravely infected and her pain excruciating. Dr. Tom Catena, a missionary doctor who directs the hospital and serves as its only resident surgeon, treated Marsa. She was not only treated for her infected snake bite, but she remained at the hospital to undergo a series of two skin grafting surgeries to repair the wounded area.

Marsa finally received the care she needed to heal. At last she knew she was going to survive, and be able to return home to be a mother to her four children once again.

As she recovers at Mother of Mercy, Marsa told Sudan Relief Fund how she’s feeling so much better. She’s extremely happy the pain she endured is gone, and the wound is healing well. Cradling Baby Amiza in her arms, she smiles for the first time in a long while. She looks up and says, “I want to thank God and all the friends who keep the doors of this hospital open. May God greatly bless you.”

These stories of Lives Saved are made possible by your support of Sudan Relief Fund. Thank you for making a lifesaving difference for Marsa and many others who are blessed by your help.

Would you like to pray for us? Sign up for our email prayer group to receive weekly emails sharing important needs to pray for. You’ll join a faith community around the globe praying to bring hope and help to suffering people in this forgotten part of the world. Click here to find out more.

Crisis Swelling at Border Camp as Refugees Increase in Numbers

A humanitarian crisis at the border camp of Renk, South Sudan, is unfolding largely unnoticed by the rest of the world, in what’s being called Africa’s largest refugee crisis.

The Renk refugee camp is overcrowded with displaced people fleeing war in Sudan and crossing the border into South Sudan – a nation in no way capable of accommodating an influx of refugees while reeling under its own political, civil, and economic crises. Further, South Sudan’s population is in the midst of a severe food crisis of its own.

Adding to the overcrowding, lack of sanitation facilities, and insufficient food, the camp is filling with mud due to the rainy season, which will only worsen in coming months.

Renk is meant to be a stop on the refugees’ route to other destinations in South Sudan and not a settling point, so world aid organizations have been reluctant to set up large scale facilities that would provide for a long term scenario.

Watch CNN video below.

The displaced at Renk say they feel humiliated, their plight being largely ignored. According to sources on the ground, residents expressed the message they’re receiving is they are not worthy to warrant the help that’s sorely needed immediately.

While some humanitarian organizations have contributed aid, the sheer numbers of refugees have stretched what little there is way too thin. Meanwhile the displaced population at Renk continues to swell, while its burgeoning number of residents simply try to survive another day.

In the meantime, the steady flow of refugees continues for the many seeking asylum from the war raging to the north. Sudan Relief Fund supporters have been instrumental in making sure a transport boat operates continuously to evacuate the thousands constantly needing to escape the war zone.

Your help has also been crucial in supporting the Diocese of Malakal with desperately needed supplies, as they strive to provide for the many displaced families who keep arriving after coming through Renk. We will continue to share updates as the situation develops.

Tense Conditions in Malakal Refugee Camps Lead to Fighting, 13 Deaths

The Malakal refugee camp serving 50,000 in South Sudan’s Upper Nile State has hosted displaced people since the civil war in 2013. People fleeing violence, famine, and natural disasters flocked here for survival, and many remained since.

Now refugees are coming from the north to the already crowded camp to escape war in Sudan. The result is a tenuous mix of tribes and peoples, creating a hotbed of volatility in an already strained environment.

Last week a man died of stab wounds in a violent outbreak that led to the death of 13 people and injured 20 others. At least 3 were killed in the initial clash that erupted between rival ethnic groups. Later in the day, 10 more related deaths were confirmed.

Approximately 3,000 people fleeing Sudan arrived at the Malakal camp in recent weeks, according to Upper Nile’s information minister, Luke Saadala.  Ben Malor, a spokesperson for the UN Mission in South Sudan, said South Sudan’s army and the UN agency increased security around the camp following the incident, restoring order for the time being.

While the peace accord signed in 2018 led to a significant reduction in fighting, the region remains volatile with disputes over water rights, and use of grazing areas and farmland where resources are scant. The people of Malakal have also been victim to ongoing conflicts by armed militias.

UN agencies and humanitarian organizations continue striving to assist incoming refugees to the camp as Sudan’s war continues. With no good options before them, displaced families may simply be trading one life threatening scenario for a lesser one. Read more about this story here.

Suha

Teen Girl Unaware of Deadly Condition

Suha was just sixteen years old when she believed she had become pregnant. She was the second child from a large family in Tujor, Delami County. Suha presumed she was in her fourth month of pregnancy when things seemed to be going wrong.

Suha knew from the bleeding that recently started and didn’t go away there was a problem with her pregnancy. She went to the local hospital in Tujor, where she stayed for treatment and observation for ten days. But she received no definitive answers or solution. At that point, the hospital advised Suha to look for help at Mother of Mercy Hospital.

Set in the remote Nuba Mountains and directed for years by missionary doctor, Tom Catena, the hospital treats up to 500 patients daily and serves a population of more than 1.5 million people. Sudan Relief Fund continues to support this facility, the only one of its kind for hundreds of miles, offering critical medical care for many who come here as their last or only hope.

When Suha was admitted to Mother of Mercy Hospital, she soon learned the real reason behind her symptoms. She had a molar pregnancy – a false pregnancy where a non-cancerous tumor develops in the womb and grows. If not found in time, these tumors can cause permanent infertility. They can also turn cancerous and become deadly.

Suha was put on a treatment protocol of medicines that only Mother of Mercy Hospital has available in this region. She remained at the hospital for a stretch of four months to ensure her condition would be completely healed before leaving. Her recent tests all came back negative and showed no more indication of a life threatening condition.

Suha knows she was spared from a life of infertility and the threat of a deadly cancer.  She also smiles as she says how she feels much better. Suha expressed her deep gratitude to the team at Mother of Mercy Hospital for saving her life. She also gave thanks for those who support the hospital, knowing it is what allows people like her and many others to receive the lifesaving care they would not be able to find anywhere else.

These stories are made possible by your support of Sudan Relief Fund. Thank you for partnering with us to save lives.

Would you like to pray for us? Sign up for our email prayer group to receive weekly emails sharing important needs to pray for. You’ll join a faith community around the globe praying to bring hope and help to suffering people in a forgotten part of the world. Click here to find out more.