Cross-border Refugees-Returnees Need Assessment (Palabek Camp Lamwo District and County)

Photo: Returnees Children footing to Ikotos Town

Papa John Martin Sebastian Monitoring & Evaluation Officer, AVSI-Foundation . Contact: Email address: [email protected] Mobile Phone: +211929840006 Skype: papajohnmartin30 , State

ICRROSS (Cross border intervention for Refugees Returnees and South Sudanese Host Community, Palabek Camp Lamwo District and Ikotos County)

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Table of Context

I. ACRONYMS: ……………………………………………………………………………….…………………. 2 II. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: ………………………………………………………………………………….. 3 III. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: …………………………………………………………………………………. 3 IV. Introduction: ………………………………………………………………………………………………... 5 (a) Background: ………………………………………………………………………………………… 5 1. Methodology: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 5 2. Objectives: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 6 3. Key Findings: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 6 A. Household Information: …………………………………………………………………….. 6 B. Relatives in Ikotos County: …………………………………………………………………. 7 C. Experience of returning back to South Sudan: ……………………………………. 8 D. Plan for the Future: ……………………………………………………………………………. 9 4. Recommendation: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 10

I. ACRONYMS List of Acronyms ICRROSS: Cross border Intervention for Returnees Refugees of South Sudan and the Host community FE: Financial Education CEVSI: Cooperazione E Sviluppo AVSI: Association of Volunteers in International Service CBI: Cash base intervention AICS: The Italian Agency for Development Cooperation M&E: Monitoring and Evaluation FSL: Food Security and Livelihood. WASH: Water Sanitation and Hygiene. S.A.N.I: Southern African Nutrition Initiatives IGA: Income generating activities

II. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

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I would like to thanks first and foremost the twenty five Refugees respondents who agreed to take the survey and contributed valuable information and Italian Agency for Development Cooperation for funding, I would also like to extend my thanks to Cesvi and AVSI Foundation for coming with the initiative of conducting Refugees-Returnees need assessment.

I would like to acknowledge the support of Bruno Baroni Nazim (AVSI, M&E Quality Assurance), Federica Raggi (AVSI,FLS/WASH Project Manager), Mariam Joshi (AVSI, M&E Coordinator), and Samantha Ponte (Cesvi ProjectManager) during the exercise and not forgetting Luca Scarpa (AVSI Foundation Country Representative).

III. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In January 2020, Cesvi and AVSI Foundation Despite the deteriorating security conducted an assessment in Palabek Camp Lamwo environment and food security within Ikotos District, Northern Uganda. The exercise is Returnees County, the situation of Returnees demonstrated a Refugees need assessment to identify the mixed challenges and opportunities in both side challenges faced; while travelling back to Torit Uganda and South Sudan overtime. For instance, State (Ikotos County, when they first returned in high engagement of Refugees children in education their village, after few weeks/months being at compared with when they are in South Sudan and home and on their way back to the camps. Food Aid. The study of the key informants indicate The survey provide a significant perspective on currently Returnees are living in their places of current population mobility trends and actionable origin, which is a good indication that people are data regarding assistance needs, protection and returning to their areas of origin. However, they are vulnerability. facing difficult condition in their villages or towns The key informants reported to have faced they have returned to. Challenges includes; the lack challenging situation both in Uganda and South of job and livelihood opportunities, limited access Sudan; Lack of access to proper health and human to basic services, insecurity, lack of land and sickness, they raise their concerns that they are housing/shelter which limits the potential of prescribed only one kind of drug for various Returnees to re-establish families and make future sickness, rapid death of children, lack of access to investment, which is essential for the sustainability land and access to employment opportunities are of their reintegration. all critical challenges jeopardizing the sustainability Host communities have a positive views of the of Refugees. In additional economic opportunities Returnees. Although the solidarity between the and death remain a major challenge for the entire Returnees and the Host communities can show Key informants with larger number of Refugees some strains after large scale returns in the long flow back by the end of last year 2019. run.

Scheme to take notes of respondents’ stories;

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THINGS/PEOPLE/EVENTS THAT THINGS/PEOPLE/EVENTS THAT

CONVINCED OR HELPED THE PERSON CONVINCED OR HELPED THE PERSON TO

TO RETURN BACK HOME IN TORIT GO BACK TO THE REFUGEE CAMPS IN STATE (PULLING FACTORS) UGANDA (PUSHING FACTORS)

Cultivation Free Education Funerals Food Assistance (Relief) in the Sickness, since some still camp.

have that believes of Hunger situation in South Sudan.

1). IN THE witchcraft and herbalist Separate families as they left REFUGEE CAMP Celebrate Christmas some family members Inadequate land for Safety environment in the Camp Cultivation in term of security. Influence from the neighbors Better access to basic services Lack of income source in the Friends or family living in the camp Camp Separate families, they wish Lack of support from the family to visit other family member especially the widows members in South Sudan. and widower Lack of access to Delay of the formation of employment Opportunities state and signing of revitalized in the Camp peace agreement Restriction and Conflict Shortage of food to sustain related to firewood and them. cutting down of trees Loss of alternative livelihood like between the Refugees and livestock due to raiding the host community Fear of conflict due to criminal act of some few village members

2). WHILE Lack of means transport TRAVELLING No accommodation especially in Tseretenya as they just sleep under the BACK TO TORIT veranda, STATE (IKOTOS Long distance footing COUNTY) Sickness of children They also encountered protection risk of crime like robbery and rape Refugee cards are taken at the border Hard to travel with children.

3) WHEN THEY FIRST Lack of safe Shelter as they have abandoned their own house longtime RETURNED IN THEIR Lack of cooking utensils and other non-food items as some of cooking VILLAGE utensils are been taken from the border. Lack of Income source 4

Sickness of children related to poor feeding

4). AFTER FEW Shortage of food WEEKS/MONTHS AT Lack of agricultural inputs like seeds and tools HOME. Inadequate labor as some of the family members are left in the Camp Lack of access to employment opportunities. No means of Communication with the rest of the family members in the Camp Engaging other alternative of livelihood like selling firewood, pole and casual labor.

5) ON THE WAY BACK Means of transport (Private and public) from Ikotos Town to Madi-Opei Centre TO THE CAMP.

Photo: Returnees eating lunch in Tseretenya South Sudan Check Point

Introduction

AVSI South Sudan and Cesvi had a Cross-border Project for Refugees, Returnees and the host community, Palabek Camp Lamwo District and Ikotos County, implementing mainly Food security and Livelihood, education and WASH, with some components of Cash Base Intervention support(Cash for Work and Financial Education),

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Hence need for conducting Refugees-Returnees need assessment aimed at assessing what challenges they faced: a) while travelling back to Ikotos County; b) when they first returned to their village; c) after a few weeks/ months being at home; d) on their way back to the camps. Additionally, we want to know why the returned home, and reflect with these people to identify: 1) what would have made them stay; 2) who they think should have done a better job at helping them, but also the context-specific causes of such needs.

This report intends to make such knowledge available to the community and stakeholders of Lamwo District and Ikotos County. Strengthening the Resilience of Pastoral and Agro-Pastoral Communities in South-Sudan cross-border areas with Sudan, Ethiopia, and Uganda S.A.N.I. – Food Security, Nutrition and Hygiene for the communities in Eastern area, South Sudan ICRROSS Cross-border intervention for Refugees Returnees and South Sudanese Host Community

Methodology

The assessment was conducted based on (key informant interviews (KIIs), which include twenty (20) of south Sudanese refugees interviewed from six payams; Chahari Payam, Isoke Payam, Ikotos Payam, Imotong Payam, Losite Payam and Chorokol Payam. who have knowledge, either direct (they experienced) or indirect (their relatives experienced) of the challenges faced by people who voluntarily returned to South Sudan, in particular those who returned to Torit State (Greater Ikwoto County mainly). The study did not set out to produce statistically significant findings, but focused on identifying typical patterns of challenges at both household level and the County at large.

Objective of the Assessment

The objectives of these activities was; 1. To improve the support provided to returnees in South Sudan. 2. NOT to gain information regarding how to encourage refugees to return to South Sudan Among the refugees, we expect to find several people who attempted to return to Torit State (Greater Ikwoto County) but who later returned to the refugee camps in Uganda; we want to know what are the challenges they faced; 1. While travelling back to Torit State; (Greater Ikwoto County) 2. When they first returned to their village; 3. After a few weeks/ months being at home; 4. On their way back to the camps. Additionally, we want to know why the returned home, and reflect with these people to identify: 1. What would have made them stay; 2. Who they think should have done a better job at helping them. Key Findings A. HOUSEHOLD INFORMATION Family size

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The average family size is five (5) member per household in line with data reported by the key informants. Mostly Female as the head of the Household and their husband in South Sudan.

County Payam Boma Number of HHs

Ikotos Ikwoto Payam Losihet 2 Ikotos Ikwoto Payam Ifune 3 Ikotos Isohe Payam Isohe Centre 1 Ikotos Isohe Payam Woroworo 1 Kidiopo Valley Chorokol Payam Mohina 1 Ikotos Isohe Payam Olufe 1 Geria Imotong Payam Ifose 2 Kidiopo Valley Chorokol Payam Ramula 3 Kidiopo Valley Chorokol Payam Chorokol 2 Kidiopo Valley Chahari Payam Chahari Centre 2 Ikotos Losite Payam Losihet 1 Kidiopo Valley Chahari Payam Ihode 1 20 Source of income Source of income in Uganda Source of income in South Sudan

Sale of food aids Sale of own agricultural Brewing local alcohol produces like sorghums and Casual labor vegetables Sale of firewood Sale of livestock and livestock products Sale of fuel, like firewood and charcoal Brewing local alcohol

The main source of income in Uganda (Camp) is through sale of food aid, also there are other source, but they are hinder by other factor like, 1. Restriction of cutting down of trees, getting firewood become a problem. 2. Inadequate piece of land for cultivation, hence no demand for casual labors and enough materials for the production of local alcohol. Like in is not a problem in South Sudan, No restriction of cutting down of trees

B. RELATIVES IN IKOTOS COUNTY

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Nearly 99% of the Key Informant reported they have their close relatives in either side i.e. in Ikotos County and in the Refugees camp due to the pulling and pushing factors and been close to the border is also another major factor hence continuous influx of Returnees and flow of Refugees.

C. EXPERIENCE OF RETURNING BACK TO SOUTH SUDAN What made them to go back to South Sudan and return back to the Camp? The continuous influx Returnees and flew of Refugees are contributed by some major factors like 1) Serious illness/sickness, 2) Source of Income, 3) Free Education, 4) Food aid and Safety Environment in the Camp. Both Pulling and pushing factors which are summarized below in the table

Things/people/events that Things/people/events that convinced or helped the person convinced or helped the person to to return back home in Torit go back to the refugee camps in State (pulling factors) Uganda (pushing factors)

1) In the To help the family with Free Education refugee camps Cultivation Food Assistance (Relief) in the Funerals camp. Sickness, since some still Hunger situation in South have that believes of Sudan. witchcraft and herbalist Separate families as they left Celebrate Christmas some family members Inadequate land in the Safety environment in the camp for Cultivation Camp in term of security. Influences from the friends Better access to basic services and neighbors Friends or family living in the Lack of income source in the Camp camp Lack of support from the Separate families, they wish family member especially the to visit other family widows and widower members in South Sudan. Delay of the formation of Lack of access to Unity state and signing of employment Opportunities revitalized peace agreement in the Camp Shortage of food to sustain Restriction and Conflict them. related to firewood and Loss of alternative livelihood cutting down of trees like livestock due to raiding between the Refugees and Fear of conflict due to criminal the host community. act of some few village members

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Transport The only route used by the Key Informants is Madi Opei –Tserentenya road, the means they mostly used is Public means within Uganda Palabek to Kitgum, Kitgum to Madi Opei and from Madi Opei to Tseretenya and Tsereteny to Ikotos Town is both Private/Public means and footing depending on the available of vehicles and money. Means of acquiring money for transport vary from Uganda is only through sale of Food aid and tents provided and some South Sudan is through; sale of produces, remittances, Borrowing and help from the relatives and friends. Main reason that prevent Returnees from staying in South Sudan The main reasons preventing the Returnees from staying in South Sudan are; No Food aid and Free education

Others include;

Criminal act Revenge killing Hunger Drought Separate children and families Conflicts Opportunities they meet Sharing with the relatives Support from the family members Cultivation and Harvesting Challenges The challenges they experience while in south Sudan include the following; Lack of safe shelter Lack of support from in-law especially the widows Lack of transport Lack of enough labor Lack of agricultural inputs like seeds and tools Shortage of food to sustain them until next harvest Source of income Lack of access to safe water Lack of Nonfood Items as they have sold some to acquire money for transport and feeding while traveling Lack of access to basic service like free education and food aid. Human Sickness. D. PLANS FOR FUTURE (Make such questions only if you gain good trust) Problems related to having parts of the families separated? 9

The key informant reported some of the problem related to having parts of the families separated includes the following; Loss of respect Loss of power Cheating Rejection Violence Recommendation 3. In the Camp. Promotion of Vocational training on Income Generating Activities (IGA) to some solve the problem of unemployment and income source. Provision of Agricultural inputs like seeds and tools to engage them on Agriculture Conducting of campaigns against diseases for under 5years and Hygiene As there is huge number of children who were not vaccinated against polio, measles and other early childhood illnesses, there is need for immediate response to carry out polio campaign and measles to eliminate danger lines of outbreak of these infections. Since some still have that believe of traditional ritual and witchcraft. Implementing of cash base intervention as most of them reported the problem of acquiring source of income and other alternatively livelihood. 4. While travelling Construction of reception Shelter in Tseretenya check point to provide shelter for both Returnees and Refugees since they normally sleep in open space while waiting for means of transport back home and to the camp. Provision of transit for most vulnerable household with special case like serious illness who are stranded at the check point. 3. While in South Sudan Provision of building material like tents, some of the Returnees got their house spoiled and unsafe. Provision of cooking utensils for those whose cards are taken and not thinking of going back, some also reported that their Sauce pans are taken at the border. Engaging them on training like income generating activities as another sources of acquiring income and livelihood. Provision of free Education to their children Provision of agricultural inputs like Seeds and tools to encourage them also in agricultural practices for survival. Provision of relief, Food aid to sustain them until they can produce their own food for the next harvest. 10