Life outside Tambura and the Struggle for Stability in Yambio

In late October, renewed conflict between opposing armed groups in Western Equatoria State triggered massive displacement across the region. An estimated 150,000 people were forced to flee their homes in Tambura, Nagero, Mundri East, Ezo, and Ibba counties. Among them were roughly 4,000 residents from Tambura, including Julian and her family, who were uprooted from the homes as violence covered their community.

Julian, a 25-year-old mother of three, never imagined she would be forced to flee her home in Tambura. What started as a minor security concern on the outskirts of town quickly escalated into a life-threatening crisis. On the morning of September 4, 2025, while Julian was running her small tea shop and her husband, Andrew, was managing a merchandise kiosk at the market, strange gun sounds started and rapidly spread all over, women and Children running and crying; everyone was running for safety. In the chaos, Julian was forced to abandon her home and all her properties, including her beloved business, and flee for her life and the safety of her children.

Andrew stayed behind, trying to gather a few essential items to sustain the family for the coming days. Three days later, he reunited with them on their way to Yambio. What seemed like a short insecurity incident soon turned into weeks and months of living in a tent inside a temporary shelter for internally displaced people in Yambio. For the sake of his children’s safety, Andrew decided to find a rental outside the temporary shelter. Today, the family occupies a single room in the Masai Market area.

Andrew often reflects on the better days in Tambura, when their small income was enough to buy essentials like sugar and salt and even pay school fees.

“Life was simple but joyful, but here, the challenges are disturbing. With no support to rely on, my family now struggles to afford shelter, food, and education for their children,” he says.

Julian has taken on most of the family’s responsibilities, operating a small wine business to make ends meet. Their family of five is just one among many who lost everything in the conflict and now face the daunting task of rebuilding their lives from scratch.

Madaline Rasual, a mother of three, shares a similar story. A mother of four, she lost her husband during the violence and now lives with her uncle in Yambio. “Our biggest problem is food,” she says. “In Tambura, we used to harvest plenty from our farms. But here, without any support, life is becoming very hard. We are really suffering and appeal for help.” 

These stories reflect the resilience of over 4000 displaced households from Tambura that have fled to different neighbouring counties. World Vision South Sudan is deeply concerned over the suffering of households and is highlighting the urgent need for humanitarian support to help children and women recover and rebuild their lives.

Story by Alan Leju Roba | Communication officer