In Kakuma, every month began the same way: waiting in line for a food ration that kept getting smaller. When differentiated food assistance was introduced, many South Sudanese refugee families found that what they received was no longer enough to last. Some decided that if they were going to struggle, they would rather struggle at home, on their own land.
But returning to South Sudan brought a new problem. Families came back to communities that had little to offer them. Without tools, land lies idle. Without a harvest, there is nothing to eat and nothing to sell. Many returnees risk becoming dependent once again, this time with no camp system to support them.
EcoRise South Sudan provided farming tools to returnee families so they could start producing immediately. What happened next shows what people can do when they are given a fair chance.
In this photo, a returnee farmer sorts a large harvest of tomatoes under the shade of a tree, separating the best for sale. Tomatoes are among the most in-demand vegetables in local markets, and a harvest like this turns into real income. That income pays school fees, buys medicine when a child falls sick, and covers the household needs that a ration never could.
The journey from a ration line in Kakuma to a pile of tomatoes ready for market is a journey from dependence to self-reliance. With the right tools, returnees are not waiting for help. They are building their own future, one harvest at a time.
#EcoRiseSouthSudan #IREP #SouthSudan #Returnees #Livelihoods #SelfReliance
With support from @Cohere and @Quadrature Climate Foundation
