8-YEAR-OLD Kuel’s Story
Kuel had never seen anything like it. Water everywhere, people running around, and when he had to leave, water came up to his chest. The floods shocked him.
“I was scared…I had never experienced a flood and by the time it came I was really scared…The water was up to my chest…I don’t know how to swim…I was carried on over the shoulders by my older brothers.”
Eight-year-old Kuel now lives in someone else’s home who let his family stay for free. His mother, Areech, gave birth to a baby boy in May but she’s struggling to find enough food for the family and her baby is malnourished.
“My home collapsed because of the floods…The water came early in the morning, all the surrounding houses were flooded and I had to take my children. I migrated here…I was scared,” says Areech recalling the day they had to flee their home. “It’s not easy but at least I can try my best doing manual work so I can get some sorghum for my children…Sometimes I feel hungry because we may lack food.”
At first, the family lived in the abandoned school nearby, but as the water receded a little, classes restarted and the family had to move. Since July they have been at this new home, but Kuel can’t get used to it.
“I miss my home…When we migrated we didn’t have a shelter. The mosquitos were biting us every night, and we didn’t have any food. Our crops were destroyed by the flood…My brothers and sisters also miss home.”
During the pandemic Kuel’s father died due to an untreated dog bite. Ever since life has been more difficult with the family having to cope with the shock of the pandemic, increasing food prices, and the persistent floods.
“My dad isn’t with us anymore,” explains Kuel with tears streaming down his cheeks. He misses his father a lot. “If he was with us he would have provided us with shelter and mosquito nets. This hurts me.”
Kuel’s family, and his mother in particular, are trying hard to deal with the lack of food and shelter. But it is a difficult challenge as the water still floods their home and their small farm that they depended on for food.
“There are days that I go without food,” says Kuel. “When I’m hungry I feel as if I’m sick…I usually feel hunger.”
Natural disasters can completely uproot the life of a child. The floods of South Sudan have for three years displaced many children and left them without access to food and shelter. This can make childhood feel hopeless.
“This flood has changed our life…Our lives are worse now because we don’t have food to eat,” says Kuel. “I don’t know when this water will go away…Life will not return to normal.”
