Lim Bol, Left, 21 years of age, with his cousin Gatwech Gil Thong, 17 years old, in one of the school classes in Kule refugee camp primary school. Lim cares about Gatwech as if he were his own brother. ; Lim is from South Sudan, where conflict that erupted at the end of 2013 has forced 670,000 people to flee into neighbouring countries, and made a further 1.7 million homeless inside their country. His parents are both dead, and his brother refused to leave home to flee to Ethiopia with him. Lim wants to study and become a medical doctor, but circumstances in Kule refugee camp prevent him to do so.He is alone at Gambella refugee camp, with his cousins Gatwech Gil Thong and Gahorth Kun Thong, and while his basic needs are covered, he says the interruption of his schooling is the thing that gets him down the most. While he waits to complete his secondary education, he is working as a teacher and Vice Principal at one of the camp’s over-crowded primary schools. UNHCR is helping the Ethiopian authorities provide basic education, but a lack of funding means secondary schooling stops after one year instead of four. “This really is not good for us,” says Lim. “I want to go back to my country as someone with knowledge, you know, someone with the power to serve other people.”

© UNHCR/Petterik Wiggers

UNHCR enjoys the strong and active support of the Commission of Refugees Affairs, which was established in 2014 and took significant steps to establish an active field presence in all areas with significant refugee populations. The Office continues to encourage the Republic of South Sudan to sign and ratify relevant international instruments for the protection of refugees, and the prevention of statelessness, namely the 1951 Refugee and the 1969 of the OAU protocol as well as the Kampala Convention on IDPs.

News and stories about South Sudan

UNHCR airlifts aid to Uganda as thousands arrive from South Sudan

Thousands of refugees fleeing violence and human rights violations in South Sudan benefit from major aid operation.

19 Sep 2016

Refugees fleeing South Sudan pass one million mark

With this milestone, South Sudan joins Syria, Afghanistan and Somalia as countries which have produced more than a million refugees.

16 Sep 2016

At a Kenyan refugee camp, girls learn to beat the odds

Only one girl in 10 makes it to high school at Kakuma, but that's no deterrent for this South Sudanese student with high ambitions.

15 Sep 2016

Best of Rio2016: Top Olympic moments for Team Refugees

Now back in Kenya, the Refugee Olympic Team's South Sudanese runners share their memories of reunions, roaring crowds and a first glimpse of the ocean in Rio de Janeiro.

30 Aug 2016

UN Refugee Chief: World must act to end South Sudan suffering

During a visit to Uganda, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi called for action to end the violence in South Sudan that has sent thousands fleeing.

30 Aug 2016

Drums, hugs and tears of joy as refugee Olympians land back in Kenya

Exuberant welcome for South Sudanese track and field athletes who made history at Rio 2016 Games as competitors in first Refugee Olympic Team.

24 Aug 2016

Funding lags as more flee South Sudan

Relief operations in countries hosting South Sudanese refugees are overstretched, and critically underfunded, as refugee population edges toward 1 million.

12 Aug 2016

60,000 flee South Sudan's recent violence to nearby countries

Since conflict flared three weeks ago, the number of people fleeing to Uganda has doubled to 52,000, with 8,000 more seeking refuge in Sudan and Kenya.

2 Aug 2016

South Sudanese families rebuild their lives at Ugandan refugee settlement

UNHCR redeploys staff from other parts of the country while partner organizations set up new health clinics to cope with the influx.

28 Jul 2016

Refugee athletes set out for Rio Olympics, and history

Five middle-distance runners from South Sudan, until recently living in Kenya's Kakuma refugee camp, to take part in first-ever Refugee Olympic Team.

28 Jul 2016

South Sudan fighting drives surge of refugees to Uganda

UNHCR voiced extreme concern about the volatile security situation in South Sudan, where some 4,000 people are currently fleeing daily to neighbouring Uganda.

26 Jul 2016

Flight across border achingly familiar for some South Sudan families

Despite Uganda's generous policy towards refugees, the latest influx is putting the country's resources under strain.

21 Jul 2016

Thousands flee to Uganda after South Sudan flare-up

Influx expected to continue as tension remains high across the border.

19 Jul 2016

Q&A: Growing pains vex South Sudan, five years after independence

The world's youngest nation is grappling with war, hunger and a worsening refugee crisis.

8 Jul 2016

Muted cheers mark South Sudan's fifth birthday, with millions displaced

Some are going home, but over 2.4 million South Sudanese will be far away for the fifth anniversary of independence, driven to flee by conflict, hunger and worry.

8 Jul 2016

Kenya: UN refugee chief sees opportunity with Kakuma

While in Kenya, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi visited Kakuma refugee camp, home to nearly 200,000 refugees, primarily from South Sudan. He also toured a new site, Kalobeyei, where refugees share services, farm the land and build businesses with locals.

17 Jun 2016

Children fleeing South Sudan struggle in CAR refugee villages

Lone children who flee South Sudan in search of safety in the Central African Republic still face difficulties in communities without clean water, health clinics or schools.

9 Jun 2016

South Sudan refugee outflow grows as relief funds lag

New fighting and food insecurity in the world's youngest nation are driving more displacement at a time when refugee relief operations are only 11 per cent funded.

19 Apr 2016