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16-year-old Sarah takes care of her three younger siblings; 5 year old Henry, 3 year old Rose and 18 month old Mimi. Her family has been in Nguenyyiel for about a year – her father died in South Sudan, and her mother and younger sister accompanied them on the journey. Unfortunately, her mother and sister were killed while gathering firewood outside the camp; victims of violence involving an opposing ethnic group. 

When asked about her new responsibility as head of the family, she said:

“It’s tough but I have no choice. I take care of their food and where they sleep and I will get them to wash. As long as I am their sister, I will do that."

More than half of all refugees and displaced persons around the world are children. In the conflict and upheaval that forces them to flee their homes, thousands of children lose their parents to violence or become separated from them, enduring long journeys on their own. 

In 2017, an estimated 173,800 unaccompanied and separated child refugees and asylum-seekers were reported worldwide, of whom 138,700 were assisted by 63 UNHCR operations. The largest number of unaccompanied and separated children in one country were reported in Ethiopia, with 43,300 children. 

Most of these children came from South Sudan, a total of 30,100 in the camps and settlement of Ethiopia’s Gambella region. In Gambella, children account for at least 65 percent of the refugee population; of these, unaccompanied and separated children comprise nine percent of the population.

“The scale of displacement in and from the country is simply unbelievable. I am astounded at the resilience of the millions of South Sudanese refugees and those who are internally displaced. But after so many years, the people of South Sudan are crying enough is enough. The conflict must end, the humanitarian response must be ramped up, and we all have a responsibility to do everything we can to support the South Sudanese children, women and men who have been forced to flee from their homes.”
Arnauld Akodjenou, Regional Refugee Coordinator and Special Advisor on the South Sudan Situation

The situation quickly escalated into a full-blown humanitarian emergency and, five years on, shows little sign of resolution. UNHCR continues to do all we can to provide relief and life-saving shelter with limited resources, but more help is desperately needed.

Please donate today and help these families that desperately need our help.