When 35-year-old Suzan Mohamed fled Sudan with her two children in 2024, she thought the journey to Uganda would at least bring safety. Instead, her arrival at Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement opened a new struggle. Living with diabetes, she had lost access to insulin in the chaos of war. Her teenage daughter, Mushcat, soon fell dangerously ill with malaria.

“I had nowhere to turn,” Suzan recalls. “We had no money, no medicine, and my child was burning with fever. I thought I was going to lose her.”

Her turning point came at the Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS) First aid and Disaster Mobile Clinic, which had been deployed to Kiryandongo to ease the strain on overcrowded health facilities. Mushcat received urgent malaria treatment, and Suzan had her blood sugar monitored, and reinitiated on anti- diabetic medication. Today, after five months of consistent follow-up, her health has improved and her family feels safe again.

“When I first arrived from Sudan, my sugar levels were dangerously high. I had lost my insulin during the chaos, and I feared for my life,” Suzan recalls softly. “My daughter fell sick with malaria, and I thought I would lose her too. The Red Cross team didn’t just give us medicine—they gave us time, attention, and hope. Today, my health is stable, my daughter is strong, and I feel like a mother again.” She pauses and smiles. “The clinic didn’t just save us; it made us believe that life can be kind again.”

The First Aid and Disaster Mobile clinic, mounted on wheels, is one of the Uganda Red Cross Society’s innovative solutions to bring healthcare closer to people in need. Donated by the Kuwait Red Crescent and supported by the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Netherlands Red Cross, Belgium Red Cross Flanders and Austrian Red Cross, the clinic is designed to reach communities where access to medical services is often limited.

With its team of dedicated health workers, the First Aid and Disaster Mobile Clinic has transformed the delivery of first aid and basic pre-hospital care during emergencies, including refugee settings. It currently serves refugees in the Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement and nearby host communities, offering lifesaving care, especially during the ongoing influx of refugees from Sudan.

“When the Sudan crisis spilled over, many families arrived with chronic illnesses, untreated wounds, and deep emotional scars. Our First Aid and Disaster Mobile Clinic became their first contact with hope. We were not just treating malaria or diabetes we were restoring the will to live,” says Isabella Epajja, the First Aid and Disaster Mobile Clinic Officer.

“Every patient we reach reminds us why the Red Cross exists to bring dignity back where despair has taken root.” Epajja adds.

Suzan’s story is only one among thousands. The sudden influx of nearly 70,000 refugees and asylum seekers from Sudan in 2024 turned Kiryandongo into a pressure point for Uganda’s already stretched humanitarian response. The settlement, previously closed, had to be reopened in December 2023, even though its infrastructure was outdated and insufficient for the growing population.

The Uganda Red Cross Society, supported by partners including the IFRC, the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations and Belgium Red Cross Flanders, quickly launched the Sudanese Population Movement Operation to address urgent needs. Working with OPM, UNHCR, and other actors, URCS adopted a multi-sectoral approach spanning Emergency health, Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), shelter, cash assistance, livelihoods, and protection.

The result has been nothing short of transformative for tens of thousands of displaced families.

“Our target was to fill the gaps faced by overstretched facilities. But what we have achieved has gone far beyond numbers,” Isabella notes. “We saw mothers regain their strength, children go back to school, and families learn basic hygiene and healthy practices that prevent disease. These are the quiet victories that define humanitarian success.”

In 2024, a technical assessment revealed that residents of Cluster B in Kiryandongo were surviving on barely 5 litres of water per person per day far below the international Sphere Standard of 15 litres. Women and children walked long distances for water, often missing school or facing risks along the way.

In response, URCS established a Surface Water Treatment Plant (SWTP) at Siriba stream. By mid-2025, the plant had produced over 12.5 million litres of safe drinking water, reaching more than 50,000 refugees and 1,000 host community members.

“Before, my children often missed school to fetch water,” recalls Mariam, a mother of four. “We would walk for nearly two hours and still come back with dirty water that made us sick.”

She smiles as she points to the new tap stand nearby. “Now, clean water flows just a few steps from our home. We bathe regularly, cook safely, and my children attend school every morning. Even our small vegetable garden is thriving again. Life feels lighter, thanks to URCS.”

“Access to clean water is not a privilege it’s a foundation for dignity,” says Arnold Kamugisha the WASH lead at the Kiryandongo refugee settlement. “The surface water treatment plant changed everything for women and children who used to walk for hours. Today, they use that time for school, trade, and rebuilding their lives.”

The impact has gone beyond convenience it has restored dignity, strengthened hygiene, and reduced the risk of waterborne diseases across the settlement.

At the height of arrival, new families had no safe place to sleep. URCS installed two large reception tents (capacity 200 each) and distributed 600 shelter kits, enabling households to create dignified living spaces.

 

For others, the lifeline came through multipurpose cash assistance. Over 1,400 displaced persons received flexible cash support, which 95% spent on food and 80% on healthcare. Financial literacy sessions accompanied the support, helping families budget responsibly and reduce risks of domestic tension and gender-based violence.

“When I received the Red Cross cash, it felt like a small miracle,” says Deng Bol, a father of three. “I bought maize flour, beans, and medicine for my wife. Before, I used to wait helplessly for food rations. Now I make decisions for my family. That little envelope restored my dignity.”

“We’ve learned that restoring dignity means giving people the power to make choices,” Epajja explains. “Through multipurpose cash support, families decided what mattered most—whether food, medicine, or school supplies. That choice is powerful; it’s the first step toward recovery and self-reliance.”

Protection remains central to the Red Cross’ work. Through its Restoring Family Links (RFL) programme, URCS has documented 565 tracing cases and enabled 27,959 people to reconnect with loved ones through connectivity services. Vulnerable children were supported with school kits, while survivors of gender-based violence received referral support through awareness sessions and psychosocial care.

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One of the quiet heroes in this work is Jane Karanja, a URCS-trained Community-Based Surveillance (CBS) and Health Promotion volunteer in Cluster N. Fluent in Arabic, Dinka, Nuer,Swahili, and sign language, Jane has become the trusted bridge across communities divided by language and trauma.

“I joined the Red Cross because I saw children dying from treatable illnesses,” says Jane. “When I put on the Red Cross vest, people trust me. They know someone cares. Once, I helped save a boy who had collapsed from malaria—today he runs to greet me whenever he sees me. That’s what keeps me going.”

“The true heartbeat of this operation lies with our volunteers,” Epajja adds. “People like Jane, our Community-Based Surveillance champion, make this work personal. They speak the language of compassion – sometimes literally – and that’s what keeps communities resilient.”

Beyond Survival – A Step Toward Resilience

The impact of the Sudanese Population Movement response in Kiryandongo is measured not only in numbers but in transformed lives.

• Health: Over 22,000 people have received treatment from the mobile clinic, and 659 emergency patients were referred to higher facilities.
• Water: More than 50,000 people now enjoy reliable access to clean water.
• Shelter & Cash: Families regained safety and dignity through shelter kits and flexible cash assistance.
• Protection: Nearly 28,000 people accessed tracing services, while thousands more engaged through feedback channels, psychosocial support, and community awareness.

The Sudanese Population Movement in Kiryandongo is not just a humanitarian project but a lifeline of dignity, unity, and possibility. For Suzan, it meant life-saving medication. For Jane, it meant becoming a pillar of her community. For Mariam, it meant her children could go to school instead of queuing for water.

In their voices and their resilience lies the heart of this story: even in crisis, when supported with compassion, communities do not just survive, they begin to heal, to hope, and to rebuild.

“Every life we touch in Kiryandongo tells a story of resilience,” Isabella reflects. “As a National Society, we don’t just respond to crises, we walk with people until they can stand again. The intention is to see them build copying mechanisms. That’s what humanity in action truly means.”

“In Sudan, I lost everything,” Suzan reflects. “Here, I found health, community, and the strength to start again.”

Her words capture what this operation represents: in the darkest of crises, humanity still finds a way to shine.