BLOG: My good and bad memories of South Sudan

Juba, January 28, 2014 - I feel nostalgic as I return to the world’s newest nation, South Sudan, a country, where I witnessed its most historic moments. I have made several trips to South Sudan than any other country on earth.

On July 9, 2011, I was in South Sudan capital, Juba at the late John Garang mausoleum, participating ‘live’ on the historic Independence Day celebrations. Then, I had marveled as men, women and children shouted themselves hoarse, tears of joy trickling down their cheeks as they sang their national anthem for the first time. The ceremony was beamed live throughout the world.

A couple of months before independence, I was in the same location where I am traveling to today – Malakal. Then, I witnessed and gathered media resources of the referendum. I saw men and women overwhelmed emotionally, some collapsing as they cast their votes to secede from the greater Sudan.

At that time, more than most South Sudanese, I knew what independence meant for the country. I had previously lived for two years in South Darfur, Sudan and saw challenges within IDP camps in and around Nyala town.  As a World Vision communications staff, I felt a deep sense of fulfillment as I knew the children of South Sudan had a bright future.

Today, I confess having some tension, as I board the plane to Malakal. I am deeply concerned about the impact of the 5-week conflict on children in that town and South Sudan as whole. It is ironical that when I visited Malakal during the referendum, hundreds of homeless South Sudanese were again hosted in Malakal. They had walked many kilometres and for many days under very challenging circumstances to return home and participate in the plebiscite, which resulted in the independence of South Sudan.

World Vision South Sudan is the first and lead NGO in delivering food assistance to vulnerable people in South Sudan’s Malakal area, following the conflict that has left many people dead and many more displaced. I pray that calm returns to this country so that children can go back to the safety and comfort of their homes.

I ponder over my crucial assignment and jolt myself back to reality. I pick my bags and supplies of drinking water and head to the airport. It is time to go. I need to tell stories of South Sudanese children.