Food Aid Brings Hope and Survival for South Sudanese Refugee Families in Ethiopia
Imagine being forced to abandon your home, leaving behind everything familiar, and setting out for a place that offers only the hope of safety. This is Nyaboth’s reality, a South Sudanese refugee now living in Jewi Refugee Camp in the Gambella region of Ethiopia.
Blind since childhood, Nyaboth has faced unimaginable challenges, relying on her mother’s support to navigate a world she cannot see.
“I don’t remember when or how I lost my sight,” she says. “Ever since I was a little girl, I relied on my mother for everything.”
In South Sudan, Nyaboth had a semblance of stability, with her mother guiding her through life and even arranging her marriage. She had four children, and despite hardships, her life was anchored in family and routine.
“Life was tough, but it was ours,” she recalls. Yet when conflict erupted, everything changed, forcing her and her family to flee to Ethiopia.
The journey to Gambella was long and filled with uncertainty, but they arrived safely, only to face more heartbreak. Her mother, a constant companion and support, passed away suddenly, leaving Nyaboth devastated. Soon after, her husband abandoned her, and she was left alone to care for her children.
Nyaboth’s story reflects a unique struggle with the broader refugee crisis. As a visually impaired single mom, she faces barriers few can understand. Her lifeline in this difficult reality has been the food assistance provided by World Vision, in partnership with the World Food Programme. But when the food aid was suspended, Nyaboth’s fragile world began to collapse.
For months, she and her children survived on scraps and minimal support from a nearby church. “Those months were filled with fear and uncertainty,” she remembers. We went to sleep hungry too many times. I prayed every day for strength to keep going.”
When food aid finally resumed, hope returned to Nyaboth’s life. World Vision and WFP ensured that essential food items reached refugees in Gambella once again. Now, Nyaboth makes trips to the distribution centre, monthly, with her eldest daughter, where she collects the food, her family desperately needs.
“Today, I no longer worry about having food in the house,” she says. “I am so grateful. May God bless everyone who came to support us in our time of need."
Nyaboth’s story underscores the critical difference food aid makes, particularly for refugees who often depend on humanitarian assistance for survival and sustenance. Since August 2023, World Vision’s response in Gambella has delivered life-sustaining support through monthly food distributions and school meal programs, covering seven refugee camps and reaching 41% of the total refugee population in Ethiopia.
Ethiopia’s 2024 Humanitarian Response Plan, estimates that 10.4 million people are targeted for food assistance across the country, half of whom are children.
By Bethel Shiferaw, Communication Coordinator (HEA), World Vision Ethiopia