the water children of jamam refugee camp · 2013-01-05 · jamam, south sudan - march 2012: refugee...

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The sprawling Jamam refugee camp in Upper Nile State, South Sudan houses 36,500 vulnerable people who have fled across the border from their homes in Blue Nile state to escape the ongoing fighting between Khartoum’s government troops and the Sudanese People’s Liberation Army - North.

Every day as the African dawn breaks over the camp golden rays cast long shadows and illuminate an almost biblical scene. Dozens of children are sitting quietly by deep holes and caves dug into the parched earth of a dried up watering hole.

The Water Children Of Jamam Refugee CampPhotographs & text byTom Stoddart

JAMAM, SOUTH SUDAN - MARCH 2012: A child carries a conatiner of water at Jamam refugee camp, in Upper Nile State, South Sudan. Clean water supplies have been running low for the approximately 36,500 vulnerable people who have fled across the border to escape the ongoing clashes between the Sudanese Army from the north, and Sudanese People's Liberation Army from South Sudan. (Photo by Tom Stoddart/Reportage by Getty Images for the ICRC)


JAMAM, SOUTH SUDAN - MARCH 2012: Refugee women line up jerry cans in wait for a water tanker at Jamam refugee camp, in Upper Nile State, South Sudan. Clean water supplies have been running low for the approximately 36,500 vulnerable people who have fled across the border to escape the ongoing clashes between the Sudanese Army from the north, and Sudanese People's Liberation Army from South Sudan. (Photo by Tom Stoddart/Reportage by Getty Images for the ICRC)


Out of sight, in the darkness below ground, more small children are burrowing down into the earth with tin cups and plates then scooping up the tiny droplets of filthy water that collect at the bottom of the hole. The precious liquid is passed up to the waiting siblings and poured into plastic buckets and tin cans before being carried to the shelters where the families are staying.

Water is desperately scarce and as people form long lines at the camp taps in 40 degrees of heat, frustration and fights break out. Many others, weakened by vomiting and diarrhoea, cannot fight and prefer the arduous search for water underground.

Sarah Yabura aged 16 says “Getting water from the holes is very difficult and dangerous. I’m afraid of the snakes. Life here is difficult and it will get much worse during the rainy season because this area will be flooded. Our whole family is here except my grandmother who stayed in Blue Nile. I have no hope for the future because there is no school here, no good life and my future is dark."

JAMAM, SOUTH SUDAN - MARCH 2012: A young girl scoops up unclean water from a hole in the ground near Jamam refugee camp, in Upper Nile State, South Sudan. (Photo by Tom Stoddart/Reportage by Getty Images for the ICRC)

Her friend, Wathesi Walit aged 12 says “My family escaped from the fighting in Blue Nile two months ago and I came here with my 5 brothers and sisters. I come to get water at the holes 3 times a day because the water from the taps does not flow quickly and there are too many people fighting and I’m too young to use force. I need to help my mother who has just given birth 3 days ago, but the whole family depend on the water that I collect”.

NGO’s working at the camp are battling to stop, what is a crisis situation turning into a catastrophe. They fear that when the rains start in a few weeks time months of human and animal filth deposited on the earth will pollute the water pools and cause a tragic cholera epidemic.

Marcel Pelletier, a water engineer with the ICRC says, “In my ten years experience in conflict affected areas, I would say the water shortage in Jamam is as severe as anything I’ve seen. It is a desperate situation. There is no excess water for washing; it is all used for cooking and drinking. People are digging by hand into the ground on the site of dried up watering holes and scooping up any water they find. These people are thirsty and are spending six hours outside with jerry cans in the intense heat.


JAMAM, SOUTH SUDAN - MARCH 2012: Children scoop up unclean water from holes in the ground near Jamam refugee camp, in Upper Nile State, South Sudan. Clean water supplies have been running low for the approximately 36,500 vulnerable people who have fled across the border to escape the ongoing clashes between the Sudanese Army from the north, and Sudanese People's Liberation Army from South Sudan. (Photo by Tom Stoddart/Reportage by Getty Images for the ICRC)


JAMAM, SOUTH SUDAN - MARCH 2012: (L) Children carry water back to Jamam refugee camp, and (R) women fill jerry cans with clean water following a delivery from a water tanker, in Upper Nile State, South Sudan. Clean water supplies have been running low for the approximately 36,500 vulnerable people who have fled across the border to escape the ongoing clashes between the Sudanese Army from the north, and Sudanese People's Liberation Army from South Sudan. (Photo by Tom Stoddart/Reportage by Getty Images for the ICRC)

The rains will come in a few weeks. Far from being the solution, the rains will actually make things worse. The lowland where animals now graze and which people have used as a toilet will flood, turning it into a vast contaminated lake. With no clean water nearby people will drink directly from it. The health risk is glaring; deadly water related diseases could sweep through the camp like wildfire. We have a real humanitarian crisis on our hands. We only have weeks to prevent it getting worse and indeed spinning out of control”.


ICRC inSouth Sudan

BENTIU, SOUTH SUDAN - MARCH 2012: An SPLA (Sudanese People's Liberation Army) soldier wounded in fighting photographed after emergency treatment by the ICRC Field Surgical Team led by senior surgeon Dr. Tesfayie Feleke at Bentiu Hospital in Unity State, South Sudan. (Photo by Tom Stoddart/Reportage by Getty Images for the ICRC)

While in South Sudan with the International Committee of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (ICRC), photographer Tom Stoddart travelled to many parts of the country, documenting the work of the ICRC in this fledgling country, including issues connected to the current conflict taking place between Sudan and South Sudan around their border.

At Bentiu Hospital in Unity State, near the border, the ICRC's Field Surgical Team were treating wounded Sudanese People's Liberation Army - North (SPLA-North) soldiers, and other patients.

In Agok, Warrap State, the ICRC held information dissemination sessions with SPLA soldiers on the law of armed conflict and humanitarian law. They also distributed seeds, agricultural tools and food staples to those displaced by the border fighting, and the communities housing them.

BENTIU, SOUTH SUDAN - MARCH 2012: SPLA (Sudanese People's Liberation Army) soldiers wounded in fighting photographed in a men's hospital ward after emergency treatment by the ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) Field Surgical Team led by senior surgeon Dr. Tesfayie Feleke at Bentiu Hospital in Unity State, South Sudan. (Photo by Tom Stoddart/Reportage by Getty Images for the ICRC)

BENTIU, SOUTH SUDAN - MARCH 2012: An International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Field Surgical Team led by senior surgeon Dr. Tesfayie Feleke photographed during emergency operations on people injured during conflict at Bentiu Hospital in Unity State, South Sudan. (Photo by Tom Stoddart/Reportage by Getty Images for the ICRC)

AGOK, SOUTH SUDAN - MARCH 2012: A scene during an International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) information and dissemination session with SPLA (Sudanese People's Liberation Army) soldiers from Warrab state, South Sudan. Leading the session on the law of armed conflict and humanitarian law from the ICRC were Field Delegate Simla Rumphul and Field Officer Johnson Ufendi. (Photography by Tom Stoddart/Reportage by Getty Images for the ICRC)


PARIANG, SOUTH SUDAN - MARCH 2012: A scene at Pariang refugee camp in Pariang County, Unity State, South Sudan which was established in July 2011, with the arrival of refugees fleeing violence in the Sudanese border state of South Kordofan. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) facilitates phone calls to enable people to restore contact with their families split up because of the ongoing conflict. (Photograph by Tom Stoddart/Reportage by Getty Images for the ICRC)

At Pariang refugee camp in Unity State, the ICRC facilitated phone calls to enable people to restore contact with their families split up by the ongoing conflict.

Elsewhere in Unity State, in Manjaba village, Wengoth village, and Wara village, the ICRC have assisted in the construction and maintenance of water pumps and supplies, in order to maintian access to clean water for vulnerable people caught up in crisis situations.

At Malakal Teaching Hospital in Upper Nile State, the ICRC help to treat children suffering from malaria, malnutrition, diarrhea, Tuberculosis, and kala-azar (leishmaniasis).

And in the capital Juba, in South Sudan's Central Equatoria state, Tom visited the Juba Physical Rehabilitation centre, co-run by the ICRC, where he met a young boy who had received treatment and an artificial leg after being injured in a truck that hit a landmine.

AGOK, SOUTH SUDAN - MARCH 2012: A scene in Abathok village during an International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) distribution of seeds, agricultural tools and food staples to households in villages around Agok, including Nyintar village, South Sudan. Approximately 15,000 people displaced by fighting in May 2011, as well as the communities hosting them, were given sesame, groundnuts and sorghum seed, plus tools for tilling and some food as seed protection. (Photograph by Tom Stoddart/Reportage by Getty Images for the ICRC)

UNITY STATE, SOUTH SUDAN - MARCH 2012: Women and children collect water in Unity State, South Sudan where the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) have assisted in the construction and maintenance of a water pump serving the area. Water is essential to life. The ICRC seeks to maintains access to clean water for the most vulnerable people caught up in crisis situations.


MALAKAL, SOUTH SUDAN - MARCH 2012: A sleeping child photographed inside the paediatric department of Malakal Teaching Hospital where ICRC doctor Giorgio Monti conducts his early morning rounds. The ICRC medical team deal with conditions such as celebral malaria, malnutrition, diarrhea and TB. The hospital serves 3 conflict affected states in the northern regions of South Sudan. (Photograph by Tom Stoddart/Reportage by Getty Images for the ICRC)

MALAKAL, SOUTH SUDAN - MARCH 2012: A baby suffering from malnutrition photographed at the paediatric department of Malakal Teaching Hospital where ICRC medical staff work with children suffering from conditions such as malaria, malnutrition, diarrhea, TB and kala azar. The hospital serves 3 conflict affected states in the northern regions of South Sudan. (Photograph by Tom Stoddart/Reportage by Getty Images for the ICRC)

MALAKAL, SOUTH SUDAN - MARCH 2012: A child suffering from celebral malaria photographed at the paediatric department of Malakal Teaching Hospital.

MALAKAL, SOUTH SUDAN - MARCH 2012: A woman and her malnourished baby sleep inside the feeding centre at the paediatric department of Malakal Teaching Hospital.



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the water children of jamam refugee camp · 2013-01-05 · jamam, south sudan - march 2012: refugee...

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