By Emmanuel Mandella

At least 110 Internally Displaced households sheltering in Saura Boma of Yambio County in Western Equatoria State have received emergency food relief from the Catholic Organization for Development and Peace (CODEP), allied to the Diocese of Tombura-Yambio.

The aid distribution, which took place on Thursday, targeted families mostly women, children, the elderly, and people with disabilities who fled the brutal conflict that broke out in April in Riranga Payam, along the border areas of Western Equatoria.

The relief package included maize flour, beans, sugar, cooking oil, salt, and laundry soap, critical supplies for families battling hunger and psychological trauma.

“We are not just giving food we are restoring dignity and showing solidarity as these families have lost everything, and our mission is to walk with them through this pain with both compassion and practical support,” said Gibson Kamilo Bukuyo, CODEP’s humanitarian Program Manager.

While CODEP’s assistance in Saura Boma has brought temporary relief, the humanitarian situation for IDPs across Western Equatoria remains dire.

Hundreds of other IDPs from greater Tombura counties, Tombura, Nagero, and Ezo continue to live under extreme hardship, often without adequate shelter, food, or medical support.

In Minga Payam of Mundri East County, communities displaced by intermittent clashes remain in urgent need of assistance, with reports of disease outbreaks and rising malnutrition, especially among children.

Meanwhile, the South Sudan Red Cross Branch Office in Yambio recently offered relief to over 100 IDPs currently living in the South Sudan Hotel in Yambio Town. The aid package, distributed earlier this month, included food, mosquito nets, and hygiene kits, marking another vital intervention amid widespread gaps in national response.

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), over 2 million people remain internally displaced in South Sudan due to ongoing conflict, floods, and food insecurity.

In Western Equatoria alone, escalating violence in recent months has triggered new waves of displacement, overwhelming host communities and stretching humanitarian agencies thin.

Local leaders and humanitarian partners are calling on both national and international actors to increase funding and coordination in response to the growing IDP crisis.

“Faith-based organizations like CODEP are doing incredible work, but we need more support. People are hungry, traumatized, and tired of running,” said Rose Nambala, a community leader in Yambio.

As the rainy season continues to isolate many rural communities, organizations such as CODEP, the Red Cross, and local authorities emphasize the importance of timely and coordinated aid. For many IDPs, this support is the only thread holding them above the waters of despair.