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Internally displaced South Sudanese youths gather on the edges of the Protection of Civilians site near Malakal, Upper Nile. Most residents here feel they are unable to leave due to threats of ethnic violence in the surrounding area. ; Since 2013, over 24,000 displaced South Sudanese have taken shelter in the UN Protection of Civilians (POC) site near Malakal. In the past four years, the nearby city has been overrun by opposing armies at least 12 times. After years in this densely-crowded, prison-like camp, where temperatures reach 43C and UN peacekeepers man watchtowers, many suffer from depression. Some have attempted suicide, others have succeeded, but camp residents, with assistance from UNHCR, are mounting a campaign to counteract the despair caused by their living conditions, unemployment, alcohol abuse and the ongoing war. Systems to identify people at risk and build referral systems are being implemented. Local radio station Nile FM is spreading the positive messaging. Football competitions and dance performances are building resilience among the youth. Some 2 million people have fled South Sudan and 1.9 million are internally displaced (as of May 2018). More than 200,000 people live in six POCs in the country.
- Credits Will Swanson/UNHCR
- Themes Conflict
- Regions Africa East Africa South Sudan