Grace is a proud global feminist from South Sudan, the world’s newest country, having gained independence from Sudan in 2011. She uses her skills and energy every day supporting the most marginalized women and girls to access education, healthcare, economic security and protection against violence which is often as a result of conflict.
A painful decades long civil war between the north and south of Sudan produced Grace’s independent country of South Sudan. The optimism and hope that greeted the country’s birth was shattered just two years later when political disagreement within the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Army plunged the country into conflict.
Grace, therefore, is only too aware of the impact of war and violence on women and girls and she set up Root of Generations (ROG) in 2016 – a women-led, youth centered grassroots organization supported by The Circle. It’s mission was clear – to strive to create a world where women and girls are protected, cared for and able to realise their full potential.
So when Sudan plunged into war and chaos in April last year creating a humanitarian crisis across the region with nearly eight million civilians forced to flee from their homes including to neighbouring countries like Ethiopia, Chad and South Sudan, Grace and the team at Root of Generations couldn’t just sit by and watch the crisis unfold.
Elderly Women Counselling Session
Here in her own words, Grace describes the situation on the ground and what Root of Generations is doing to help displaced women and children:
”The situation is bad especially on the protection and food aspect. The food insecurity and lack of transportation to various centers from entry points exposes them (the refugees) to bad conditions,” says Grace Dorong, founder of ROG.
”We have been implementing a Making Displacement Safer project in internally-displaced persons (IDP) camps, targeting women, children and single-headed households. We support them with protection and empowerment opportunities,” says Grace. ”We look deeper into the lost-and-damage experiences by these women from Sudan; their emotional and mental needs like dealing with stigma, loss of self-esteem, loss of loved ones, loss of identity, loss of connection to one’s origin, ancestors and many others.”
Registration in progress
Through the project, Grace and her team are helping to support these affected refugees with trauma-healing activities, psycho-social support, guidance and counselling to help them get on their feet again. However, the pressure has become overwhelming with the Sudan refugee influx. Grace says: ”All we could do is to support with awareness (of the crisis) between the local hosts and arriving IDPs, as the government works to allocate new land (to establish new refugee camps in the state).”
With displacement and needs on the rise, more urgent humanitarian support is needed in all areas. This includes registration and transport to reception centers, provision of life-saving assistance, food, temporary housing and physical and psycho-social protection.
“The needs are vast, and the challenges are numerous,” says Raouf Mazou, UNHCR’s Assistant High Commissioner for Operations in a report published by the organisation. “If the crisis continues, peace and stability across the region could be at stake.”
Root of Generations staff at an IDP camp in South Sudan
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