Hurricane Helene brought widespread damage to the southeast US in September, claiming over 200 lives in the process. News of the storm’s catastrophic effects—particularly catastrophic flooding in Buncombe County, North Carolina—quickly spread around the world in September. Among those who learned how communities like Asheville, North Carolina were devastated by the storm were our staff members and students at the Lukome Center in Gulu, Uganda.
South Sudan, a country which lies in the Sudd region of the Nile Basin. For the past four years, the Sudd region—which is characterized by secondary rivers, wetlands, and floodplains –has experienced record seasonal floods that threaten to displace entire communities permanently. Most of our students at the center are refugees from South Sudan. Having been displaced from their homes because of both ongoing conflict and natural disasters, they are very familiar with the devastation and heartbreak caused by catastrophic flooding. In response some of our Class 16 and Class 17 students wanted to offer messages of support for those here in the US who have been affected by Helene.
We are truly touched by the empathy and loving kindness these adolescent girls who have lost everything have chosen to express. As Martha, one of our recent Class 16 graduates, said: “. . . it’s so painful, but I encourage you [to] thank God for the gift of life, for you saw other people die, but you are still alive.”
Please view their heartfelt comments in the video below.
To learn more about how recent record flooding in South Sudan’s Sudd region has devasted local communities, visit https://southsudan.crisisgroup.org/.