South Sudan evacuation SOS Children
South Sudan – July 11 2017

South Sudan: One year after the evacuation

One year after children were evacuated from the SOS Children's Village in Juba in South Sudan, they have been able to return.

One year ago, the SOS Children's Village in Juba had to be evacuated when fighting broke out close by. The village was plundered and devastated, while the fleeing children and mothers were robbed by gunmen.

Although the civil war still continues, the situation in Juba is now much calmer and 120 children have been able to move back to the renovated SOS Children's Village Juba one year after they were forced to flee.


"It has been almost seven months since the situation in Juba has improved and we have been able to return to our village."

Richard Wani, Children's Village Manager Juba


The children are now able to visit the school again and the day care centre is also open.
When playing together, children from the SOS Children's Village in Juba have a lot of fun.
The children enjoy being back in the SOS Children's Village.
During the evacuation of the SOS Children's Village in July 2016, the SOS families lost almost all their property in the chaos.
The new kitchen is available to all villagers.
south sudan sos-kinderdorf juba
Television, computers, books and most other household items were lost when the SOS Children's Village in Juba was plundered one year ago. Here the children gather around a laptop to watch TV.
Village Manager Richard Wani, Nyayual Luk and Gran Anyang, as well as social worker Aban Oraj, tell of their everyday life in Juba.

Children's village had to be completely renovated

The raiders had stolen everything that could be carried or transported by truck: furniture, blankets, cooking utensils, school uniforms, toys, the personal belongings of the SOS Mothers, telephones and tools. The damage in the family houses was extensive. The SOS Children's Village had to be completely renovated and refurbished.

Already in 2014, the SOS Children's Village in Malakal in the north of the country had to be evacuated after heavy fighting. The children were moved to the capital Juba in a makeshift SOS Children's Village in a safe district. However, this village also had to be evacuated in July 2016.

For the past seven months, the children and mothers are now at home in the renovated SOS Children's Village in Juba, thanks to your support. Despite the improved situation, however, there can be no talk of a quiet everyday life for a long time.

Latest News