A selection of images from a recent assignment to the border of Sudan and South Sudan for GOAL Global, an Irish aid agency, who are providing frontline assistance to people fleeing the conflict in Sudan.
The conflict in Sudan between the Sudanese Army and the para-military Rapid Support Force broke out on 15 April 2023 and has caused over 819,402 Sudanese refugees and South Sudan returnees to flee to South Sudan. As of October 2024, the IOM UN Migration reports that Renk County in Upper Nile State, South Sudan has received over 676,394 Sudanese refugees and South Sudanese returnees through the Joda-Wunthou border crossing.
GOAL South Sudan is running malnutrition clinics in the two Transit Centres in the town of Renk as well as assisting people as they cross the border at a Reception Centre where they are supplied with high energy biscuits and children are screened for malnutrition. GOAL also provides supplementary feeding items, immunisation clinics and assistance to people sheltering in informal settlements and the local community.
Families carry their only possessions after crossing the Joda-Wunthou border between Sudan and South Sudan, about 60km north of the town of Renk in Upper Nile State, South Sudan, on Wednesday, November 13, 2024.Families who fled the conflict in Sudan prepare to board a truck to take them from the Joda-Wunthou border between Sudan and South Sudan to a Transit Centre about 60km away in the town of RenkStaff at the GOAL South Sudan Reception Centre provides high energy biscuits to a family just after crossing the border.High energy biscuits and emergency food is provided to new arrivals at the GOAL Reception Centre on the Sudan-South Sudan border north of the town of Renk.A GOAL South Sudan Nutrition Assistant performs a MUAC (Mid-Upper Arm Circumference) test on a child to assess acute malnutrition inside the GOAL Reception Centre just after crossing the Sudan-South Sudan border. Reports say almost one in five children screened at the border are found to be malnourished.A family crossing the Joda-Wunthou border between Sudan and South Sudan. As of 26th October 2024, more than 676,394 individuals have fled into South Sudan through the Wunthow (Joda) point of entry located in Renk. (IOM)Families prepare to board a truck to take them from the border to a Transit Centre in the town of Renk. On average, over a 1,000 people are crossing the border every day.A mother and child board a bus to take them from the border to a Transit Centre in Renk. Many of the people escaping are South Sudanese returnees who moved to Sudan for safety when civil war broke out in South Sudan between 2013-2018.A general view inside Transit Centre 2 hosting people who fled the conflict in Sudan in the town of Renk in Upper Nile State, South Sudan. Everyone faces a shortage of food, water, shelter and sanitation in the camps.Transit Center Two (TC2) was opened in January 2, 2024 to ease congestion in Transit Center One (TC1) in Renk. With a current capacity of 2,695 individuals, TC2 is now accommodating over 8,540 refugees and returnees as of October 2024, 317% of its intended capacity. (UNHCR)Mothers and their children wait to be assessed at the GOAL Malnutrition Screening Centre in Transit Centre 2 hosting people who fled the conflict in Sudan.A mother helps her child conduct an Appetite Test to determine the next treatment phase at the GOAL Malnutrition Clinic in Transit Centre 2.
Children with Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) are given RUTF food (ready-to-use therapeutic food, an energy dense, micronutrient paste made using peanuts, sugar, milk powder, oil, vitamins and minerals) to determine if a child has returned their appetite and can consume enough RUTF to be treated at home or needs to be referred to the GOAL stabilisation clinic in Renk Civil Hospital.A GOAL South Sudan Nutrition staff member performs a MUAC (Mid-Upper Arm Circumference) test on a child to assess acute malnutrition in the GOAL Malnutrition Screening Centre in Transit Centre 2.
A mother and her children with severe malnutrition wait to see a Clinical Officer at the GOAL Stabilisation Centre in Renk Civil Hospital.New arrivals from the border crossing between Sudan and South Sudan arrive by truck at Transit Centre 2 hosting people who fled the conflict in Sudan in the town of Renk in Upper Nile State, South Sudan.An overcrowded water point in Transit Centre 2 hosting people who fled the conflict in Sudan. Lack of water and sanitation is a growing concern after a cholera outbreak started in September 2024 in the camps and around the town of Renk.An elderly lady is seen in her makeshift shelter inside Transit Centre 2 hosting people who fled the conflict in Sudan.A general view inside Transit Centre 2. Many families aim to move to another location in South Sudan but with new arrivals everyday the camps are becoming increasingly overstretched.
