Cash assistance offers hope – and dignity

There is little to drink or eat in Rotriak, South Sudan.

At the crossroads of crisis, this gathering point in Unity State has become a focal point for a deepening humanitarian crisis. Between recurring floods, which uprooted local communities, and the eruption of conflict in neighbouring Sudan in April 2023, Rotriak has become a hub for those fleeing war and climate change.

Like Nyapuoka. 

When the rains came, she and her children were forced to flee their village and seek higher ground when the floodwaters rose. They found themselves in Rotriak, where food, clean water and access to hygiene facilities have been in short supply. 

Every morning, Nyapuoka sets out on a daunting quest for twoone of life's most basic necessities: water and food. The nearest water point is far, and water demand has soared with the influx of internally displaced people in the settlement. Food is also scarce -- and Nyapuoka does not have access to arable land, nor does she have the means to buy food in the market.

"The food assistance from NGOs has ceased, forcing us to resort to consuming water lilies from floodwaters to stave off hunger," says Nyapuoka, who wades into the water daily to harvest the plants for her children to eat.

The impact of displacement on families in Rotriak has been severe, with returnees having lost all their property and resources to conflict, resulting in an inability to afford basic provisions. Some children contracted diseases during the journey home, particularly among families arriving during the rainy season due to water-bornes illnesses.  

The influx of returnees from Sudan native to Rotriak has further strained resources in the community. Both the displaced and the returnees are now facing a lack of shelter, non-food items like mosquito nets, food shortages leading to hunger and malnutrition, inadequate healthcare, limited access to education, and incidents of rape and sexual exploitation of women and girls.

In October 2023, CARE Canada painted a grim picture of the situation in Rotriak due to all of these challenges and compounded by limited healthcare and inadequate water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services--all making survival a daily challenge.

To counter hunger in Rotriak, CARE Canada instituted cash assistance programs, which gave vulnerable households the means to prioritize their needs. With support from the Government of Canada through the Humanitarian Coalition, CARE Canada provided unconditional cash assistance to a total of 2,300 vulnerable households, giving families like Nyapuoka's an opportunity to prioritize their own needs with as much dignity, flexibility, and efficiency as possible. 

"I have received a cash transfer," says Nyapuoka. "My plan is to use this money to purchase maize for food. I want to express deep gratitude for this cash assistance."