South Sudan: Returnee and Host Community Assessment Report

The 2011 South Sudan referendum has resulted in a mass influx of returnees over the course of the past four months from northern Sudan and border countries such as Uganda, Congo and Kenya. According to the latest UNOCHA figures, over 250,000 people have returned since October 30, 2010. Most returnees are coming with only what they can carry, or fit on the barges, thus arriving with serious humanitarian needs including food, water, shelter and health. This is also putting a tremendous strain on the communities hosting returnees, who are already struggling with limited resources. In February 2011, CHF conducted a returnee and host community assessment in Central and Eastern Equatoria to evaluate the impact of returning populations on host communities. The assessment team, consisting of 12 local and international staff conducted 18 focus groups, 32 key informant interviews, and 11 market surveys in Morobo, Juba, and Torit counties.