South Sudan: Adut’s story: Pathway to recovery at the Majokyinthio Reception Centre

When conflict erupted in Sudan, 32-year-old Adut was forced to flee Wad Madani with her six children, leaving behind her home, business, savings, and possessions. After a two-month journey marked by insecurity, checkpoint delays, and limited access to food and water, she has recently arrived at the Majokyinthio Reception Centre in Northern Bahr el Ghazal, South Sudan. With no source of income and few resources left, Adut and her family faced the difficult task of starting again. At the Reception Centre, Acted’s integrated support helps her meet immediate needs and begin planning for her future.

Since the outbreak of conflict in Sudan in 2023, more than 120,000 returnees and refugees have crossed into South Sudan through Northern Bahr el Ghazal state, seeking safety and assistance. Many arrive after long and challenging journeys, having lost their homes, livelihoods, assets, and social support networks. Women and children are particularly vulnerable to protection risks during displacement and often arrive with urgent needs for food, shelter, healthcare, and psychosocial support.

Since 2024, Acted has operated the Majokyinthio Reception Centre to support newly arrived and vulnerable households. The Centre provides safe accommodation, protection services, WASH facilities, information and feedback services, cash assistance, and referrals to specialised humanitarian partners, helping families access essential support during their first days and weeks in South Sudan.

Finding support after displacement

Before the conflict, Adut lived in Wad Madani, where she operated a small restaurant selling tea, breakfast, and meals. Her business provided a stable income for her family and enabled them to maintain a comfortable home. As the conflict intensified, insecurity increased and markets and livelihoods were disrupted. Eventually, Adut had no choice but to leave.

Adut shares her story with Josephine during her interview at the Reception Centre, June 2026

I left behind my family house and all of our property when I fled Sudan. I lost my business, my savings, household items, television, refrigerators and everything I had worked hard to build.

Adut

The journey to South Sudan lasted two months and was filled with hardship. Traveling with her six children, Adut encountered numerous military checkpoints and high transportation costs. Food and clean water were difficult to access, and many displaced families became stranded along the route. By the time she reached South Sudan, Adut had lost not only her home and livelihood, but also the financial resources she had relied on to care for her children.

Strengthening household resilience through cash assistance at Majokyinthio Reception Centre

Upon arrival at the Reception Centre, Adut was registered and informed about the services available to her family, including accommodation, WASH facilities, protection services, the Complaints and Feedback Mechanism (CFM), and support services for women and girls. When Adut raised concerns about her family’s lack of food, she used the CFM to submit a complaint. Her case was referred to the protection team, which followed up and provided feedback.

Registration of new arrivals in the Reception Centre, February 2026

The staff listened to my concerns and ensured that my case was carefully recorded

Adut

Having arrived with no source of income, Adut received Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance from Acted. The assistance enabled her to purchase food and cover essential household needs during the first month after arrival.

I received support from Acted through the cash assistance, which my family and I depended on completely. With this cash, I was able to buy food from the market, and my children could at least have one meal a day.

Adut

Supporting recovery through access to essential services and psychosocial support

After a difficult journey, Adut and her children were able to access basic essential services available at the Reception Centre.

Information sharing sessions for newly arrived individuals at the Reception Centre, April 2026

The most helpful services at the Reception Centre are the clean drinking water, latrines, and shower rooms. These services have greatly improved daily life for my family.

Adut

For a family arriving with very few resources, these services provide a safer and more stable environment from which to begin rebuilding their lives. Beyond meeting immediate needs, the Reception Centre also provides opportunities for psychosocial support. Adut participates in activities at the Community Safe Space, including knitting activities and other support sessions. These activities have given her an opportunity to connect with others, develop practical skills, and cope with the stress associated with displacement.

Bed sewing activity at the Community Safe Space, March 2026

The group sessions and recreative activities offered at the women and girls space has helped me improve my skills, given me a sense of purpose, and reduced my trauma.

Adut

With immediate needs addressed and a growing sense of stability, Adut is now looking beyond her initial period of displacement and towards rebuilding her future in South Sudan. She plans to remain in Majok and hopes to secure land where she can settle with her children, begin farming, and eventually restart a small business to support her family.

My greatest hope is to find land where I can settle with my family. I want to cultivate crops and construct a shelter that will give my children a safe place to live.

Adut

For vulnerable returnees and refugees arriving from Sudan, timely humanitarian assistance can help address urgent needs while providing a foundation for longer-term recovery and integration. At the Majokyinthio Reception Centre, Acted provides an integrated response including protection, WASH, cash assistance, psychosocial support, and information and feedback services to help newly arrived families navigate address immediate needs and build a foundation for recovery and self-reliance. Adut’s experience illustrates how integrated assistance can help a family move from immediate crisis towards recovery. After losing her home, livelihood, and possessions, she is now looking towards a more stable future with determination.