When Nyakiir Yiel Khor returned to Adok after years of displacement, she carried sorrow and determination. At just 26 years old, she had already endured the devastating loss of her firstborn son in 2022, killed in a dissimilatory violence while on his way to school. That tragedy left her fearful of sending her other children to class, worried that history might repeat itself.
But returning home brought new challenges. Nyakiir found her former household was filled up, as relatives and extended family members had moved in during her absence. This meant an increase in the population under her care. Suddenly, she was responsible for ten children, with limited resources to provide food, shelter, and education. The burden of caring for so many young lives weighed heavily on her. She faced impossible choices: should she prioritize meals, save for school fees, or invest in a way to earn more income! Despite the hardships, Nyakiir refused to surrender to despair. She relied on a small milk-selling business, buying five liters from wholesalers and reselling them in the community. Occasionally, her husband returned from fishing, bringing food or fish to sell. However, these efforts were never enough for the expanded household.
Her turning point came when the Coalition for Humanity conducted a needs assessment in Adok. Seeing the overcrowded household and hearing the children’s cries, the team enrolled her in the cash assistance program. Nyakiir received USD 70 (400,000 South Sudanese Pounds).
The cash assistance was part of a Rapid Integrated Life-Saving Assistance Project implemented by CH in Mayendit, Leer, and Fangak Counties in South Sudan. The six-month emergency response project was designed to provide frontline health services, protection support, emergency shelter, and non-food items (NFIs) to crisis-affected populations. Funded through the South Sudan Humanitarian Fund (SSHF), the project aims to reach more than 44,000 people, including internally displaced persons and vulnerable host community members, with timely and essential humanitarian assistance.
For Nyakiir, the cash assistance was a lifeline at a critical moment. She carefully planned for the cash. She used half for food, easing the immediate hunger. The other half she invested in expanding her milk business and starting a small sweets trade. Today, Nyakiir speaks with renewed hope. “My dream is to take all ten children to school,” she says. “That is why I am investing in my business.”
The cash assistance provided relief and restored possibility to a mother who had endured unimaginable loss and now faced the challenges of reintegration. It transformed grief into determination and uncertainty into hope. Her journey as a returnee in Adok emphasised that humanitarian assistance should meet immediate needs and empower families to rebuild livelihoods, strengthen resilience, and shape brighter futures.