Ginaba Lino|CRN NEWS – The refugees and returnees who flee the Sudan’s war seeking refuge in Renk, especially those who remain at the transit Center continue to endure severe living conditions of limited access to basic services like food, medication among other.
According to UNICEF, they are currently providing only nutrition services to vulnerable women and children, emergency education program, WASH, and Child protection programmes through the funding from ECHO and implemented by it’s partners Like GOAL, CINA, and ADA.
In an exclusive Interview, The UNICEF Nutrition specialist Jansuk Alex the issue of enough funding remains a major problem to meet the need of these vulnerable people.
“Our request is we want the continuity of funding so that we are able to provide continuous services to these vulnerable,” he said,
Speaking to Catholic Radio Network, a 35-year-old mother Najah Al-Thiep who lost her husband during the conflict, fled Sudan in December 2023 She says there are days when the family survives on a single meal or goes without food entirely
Najah said she only rely on a local restaurant, where she earns minimal wages and occasionally receives leftover food to feed her children.
Israhak Yusuf, a 25-year-old mother of two from Medeni, recounts how her child fell seriously ill shortly after arriving in Renk. She returned to Sudan in search of treatment but was unable to access adequate care there. Upon returning again to Renk, her child was diagnosed with severe acute malnutrition, a condition she links to hunger and poor feeding conditions in the camp.
Her child later received treatment at a nutrition centre and recovered, but Israhak says the challenges continue. She supports her family by making and selling cakes, though the income is not enough to meet basic needs.
She highlights challenges in accessing clean water, proper sanitation, and sufficient food.
Fathina Abdrahaman, 57, also fled Sudan in 2023 and now lives alone in the transit centre says she was informed that Renk would serve only as a temporary stop before relocation, but she has now spent years in the same conditions.
She declined relocation to Maban due to concerns over insecurity and lack of services, noting that some families who moved there later returned to Renk.
She acknowledges the support provided by humanitarian organizations like UNICEF, saying the assistance is insufficient to meet the growing needs of the population.
Many refugees and returnees in Renk are calling for more sustainable support, including access to education, and livelihood opportunities that would allow them to rebuild their lives.
The transit centre hosts a mix of Sudanese refugees and South Sudanese returnees who fled the same conflict. Many arrived with little or no belongings and continue to rely heavily on humanitarian assistance.
The war in Sudan, which began on April 15, 2023, following clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, has triggered one of the world’s largest displacement crises. As of April 2026, more than 13 million people have been displaced, including over 1.3 million who have crossed into South Sudan, according to United Nations reports.