New Beginnings: response to urgent needs of Blue Nile’s returnees

For years, thousands of refugees from Blue Nile State, including women like 24-year-old Ibtisam Khamees, waited in South Sudan camps, hoping for the day they could return home. Ibtisam, a mother of two, spent nearly half her life as a refugee. Following Sudan’s 2019 peace agreements, they finally returned to Malkan village in Blue Nile State.

But the challenges continued. Years of conflict had left Malkan without even basic services, and the village’s only hand-pump was broken, forcing residents to travel far for water or use unsafe sources. Some even considered returning to the South Sudan camps, where basic needs had been met.

In response, IAS Sudan, with support from SHF, stepped in to support these returnees in 2022. A borehole in Malkan was equipped with a Mini Water Yard, now providing ample water to the community. 'Now I don’t have to wait in long lines; water is available whenever I need it,' said resident Gesma Mongash, relieved to fill her jerry can with clean water. Kenaina Gondi Abient, a mother of eight, added, 'This water supply will make a big difference in our community’s personal hygiene.'

Women in Malkan have also championed sanitation improvements, playing an active role in CLTS (Community-Led Total Sanitation) activities by digging household latrines and educating others on the dangers of open defecation. Their efforts were transformative, and Malkan is now officially open defecation free with each household having its own latrine.

Although restarting life in Blue Nile’s conflict-affected areas remains a challenge, residents of Malkan now have reliable access to clean water and sanitation, lifting a daily burden and instilling hope for a dignified future in their homeland.