Sr. Paola Moggi, CMS
The Sudan civil war started on April 15, 2023 and involves the Sudanese Armed Forces, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.
After more than two years, around 30 million people, over half of the Sudan’s population, are grappling with hunger and violence. More than 50.000 have been killed, in majority civilians, and around 12 million have tried to escape horror and devastation. Among them, arunf 5 million have taken refuge in neighboring countries.
The Republic of South Sudan have welcomed many of them. Two Comboni Missionary Sisters, Rosangela Boschi and Altoma Imba Falemba, who have lived for many years in Sudan, since July 11, 2025 are in Renk, a town close to the border, to accompany the refugees hosted in two nearby camps: Jamaa al Nil and Silik.
Refugees without shelter
«Here there are 9.000 people, some Sudanese refugees and some South Sudanese who were living in Sudan and they had to escape. The UN host them, but the living conditions are challenging ‒ Sr. Rosangela explains ‒.
In Jamaa al Nil we meet those who arrived first: they are somehow managing to survive in the increasingly difficult camp life. Aid from the UN is dwindling, thus they look for some sort of job to earn a living. Even children do so: some, for instance, sell waters.
Life is not easy, and you often encounter children crying out of hunger; the adult, with more patience, face the day hoping that something to eat will arrive before evening. The rain came late but many, especially women, have taken a small piece of land to cultivate: some grains and vegetables may ripen in due time to alleviate their hunger».
Without losing hope
The refugees in Jamaa al Nil have started building a chapel of mud and straw, and they gather there on Sunday. There is also a small school and the teachers receive their wages from the fees paid by each child.
Unfortunately, not everyone can afford them, so many children are on the streets or look for odd jobs to earn some money. During the rainy season all pastoral activities have stopped because the huts, the chapel and the school are often flooded.
In Silik camp are hosted the newly arrived refugees: «Here the situation is extremely difficult, ‒ continues Sr. Rosangela ‒. Many don’t have even a tarp to protect them from the heavy rain, and the sheds built to accommodate those with nowhere to go are already packed. In this camp many are South Sudanese “in transit”: they were living in Sudan and now would like to reach their places of origin.
Their names are collected in view of grouping them and relocating them to their respective areas. Sudanese refugees, instead, just wait here for peace to become a reality, and one day they will go back to their towns and villages».
A discreet but effective presence
Sr. Rosangela and Sr. Altoma are a humble but important presence: «We are here to sow hope among these suffering people, many separated from their dear ones left behind in Khartoum. They do not even know if they are still alive. We listening to them and share their sorrows. With Christian families, we also read passages from the Gospel, which give them strength to overcome their difficulties.
We are aware that what we do is less than nothing compared to their needs, but we are here with them, to remind them of God’s love. In our visits we are often accompanied by children: you should see their joy when we give them a rope or a ball to play. And we pray with them, certain that one day they too will enjoy peace».