Out of sight : Displacement and survival in Gambella, Ethiopia

Gambella is home to nearly 400,000 refugees forced from their homes in 2013 and it is one of the least developed and remote places in Ethiopia. Comparing life in Gambella to their past in South Sudan, Nyalok reflects on the stark differences. Her daily struggles are compounded by the lack of proper healthcare facilities and the constant threat of insecurity "Back home, we had our farms, our businesses. But here, as refugees, our options are limited, especially for someone like me, with a disability, it's challenging to do heavy activities such as walking longer distances to access water, or longer distances to fetch firewood due to my situation.”

Yet amidst the hardships of camp living where there is little in the way of comfort, Nyalok finds solace in the little blessings. "Having water nearby, thanks to Oxfam, has been a blessing," she says with gratitude. "I used to walk long distance, nearly two hours to access water and I could only carry 10 litre due to my back injury; it was not easy. I’m so happy I now have water closer to my home even if it's for just an hour a day, I’m grateful”. 

However, while the water system in Kule provides relief for Nyalok,  it risks exacerbating her situation due to the dwindling funds to maintain the aging water infrastructure which has been operational since 2014. "The water supply is becoming increasingly unreliable," Nyalok notes with worry. "And without proper access to clean water, our health is at risk and would mean walking even longer distances to access this precious commodity”.

 Oxfam has been supporting refugees in Gambella with clean and safe water for drinking since 2014, however due to the dwindling funds as well as aging infrastructure the existing water supply system is proving insufficient to meet the existing needs. This is turn leads to potential water scarcity and compromised access to clean water. On some days, the water system can barely deliver 5 to 6 litres of water per person which falls far short of the required standards of 15 L per day.  

Despite the challenges, Nyalok is grateful for the water at her doorstep and her job is to ensure her children and elderly mother have access to water for drinking and sanitation. Her primary concern remains providing food for her family. "We rely on whatever we can find, but it's not enough. For the last eight months, we were told food was suspended, so nothing has been coming, forcing us to pick and eat leaves from the forest," says Nyalok.
As more refugees come to Gambelladue to drought, floods and conflict, the strain on resources only grows. "It is tough," Nyalok says, her voice tinged with concern. "But we hold onto hope, hoping for a better tomorrow."
As the day draws to a close, Nyalok and her mother huddle together, preparing their evening meal, the first and only one of the day for her family and herself. “We are used to this, we just need a meal to survive because we cannot risk not saving enough for the next day, so this is our breakfast, lunch, and dinner” explains Nyalok pointing at the green basin that her mother is preparing while she gets the fire ready. For many who have sought refuge here, it is a haven from conflicts that have not only uprooted
them but also claimed the lives of their loved ones. Despite the hardships, there is hope that
things will get better and may one day return home.

“I left home due to the war, but the camp life is also very challenging. For one to live you need food and education, but those are the things that we don’t have here at the camp. Food is never enough and at times we eat once a day until the next day.” she explains. 

Nyajany  explains that the lack of food is increasing insecurity at the camp with people stealing things to sell to get food. Desperate to improve her family’s situation, Nyajany sold her smartphone which she brought over from South Sudan to a member of the host community in Gambella.

“I got a little bit of money from selling my phone and used that money to buy vegetables from the host community, I then bring them back to the camp and sell them to the refugees at the camp who can’t walk long distances to the market. This has helped support me with food and clothes for my family” added Nyajany

However, despite some sort of semblance of stability, Nyajany’s  nephews always asked for the whereabouts of their mother. “I reached out to the Red Cross tracing program of my sister, I shared the only passport photo I had of my sister with my number, they managed to get her, she called me and we spoke. She promised to find us but that has not happened until now, I don’t know what has happened to her up to now” adds Nyajany

Reflecting on her life before the camp, Nyajany  recalls a time of peace and stability. “Things are very different now,”

Roughly 375,000 refugees from South Sudan live in Ethiopia’s western Gambella Region—of this number 87% are women and children and 63% are under age 18.

Since 2014, Oxfam has been providing support to the refugees with clean water, sanitation, and hygiene as well as gender and protection services. Working with communities, Oxfam provides water by tapping into the nearby Baro River to supply and distribute treated water through a network of pipes to taps in the camps and neighbouring host communities. This is ensuring people like Nyajany  have access to water but the lack of  essential supplies like jerrycans and poor maintenance of water points, due to lack of funding, is hampering these efforts. 

 The increase  in the refugee population, now also escaping the conflict in Sudan, and in host communities, intensified the pressure on the clean water supply system . This leads to the breaking down of essential  infrastructure, while lack of funding makes the maintenance difficult and  exacerbates the situation.

 For Nyajany  her hope extends beyond her own family's well-being. While she strives to provide the best for her family, her ultimate aspiration is to witness a better future for all in her community where necessities like food, clean water, and education are not just dreams but accessible realities.

With the food rations and support dwindling, and limited work opportunities, most women refugees  have to look for alternative ways to feed their children,  like fetching and selling firewood. However, even this is not without challenges. 

“To survive and provide for their children, women walk long distances in search of firewood and water which always puts them at risk of sexual violence.”

At Tierkidi, one of seven refugee camps in Gambella and home to nearly 70,000 refugees displaced from the conflict in South Sudan, Nyawouw knows of numerous cases of women who survived serious assault. She  worked with them to find them the medical and psychological services they need.

“Some women are forced into early marriage due to hunger; others are beaten by their husbands and others face violence during the long walk. I come in to help, deal with the cases as well as take those who have been assaulted to get the help from some agencies” explains Nyawouw. 

Nyawous says that when she speaks to women, she also helps them to be more independent, so they do not have to rely on men if they find themselves in an abusive relationship. 

Previously, Oxfam was able to provide dignity kits to women refugees. These include menstrual clothes, soap, jerrycans and other hygiene items. Nyawouw however, notes that women have not been receiving the support due to funding cuts by Oxfam and other aid organisations.

In addition, the food suspension for the latter half of 2023 has further exacerbated insecurity issues with many stealing to survive.  

“The impact of the food pause was very tough for us. Many children died and it was getting worse until food resumed”

Nyawouw is among the hundreds of thousands of South Sudanese people who came to Ethiopia when fighting broke out in South Sudan. On arrival, Nyawouw struggled to settle but now, despite the fact that her day-to-day life continues to be challenging, she derives much satisfaction as a woman leader because she has great hopes for the future and the women of South Sudan.

 Journey to Ethiopia

Nyathak says her journey to Gambella, Ethiopia, was marked by loss and difficulty. Together with her five children, she sought refuge in Ethiopia in 2015 after the conflict broke out in South Sudan.,They experienced the harsh realities of hunger on their way.  

The mother of six shares much more than a love of helping the community. Like other refugees here, the scars of war run deep, robbing her family not only of their home but also of opportunities for education and a better future for her children. Yet, amidst the chaos, Nyathak hopes that things will get better and can be reunited with her other family members displaced elsewhere during the war.