Exploring trauma and resilience of Urban South Sudanese refugees in Sudan

Abstract This study aims to explore the lived experiences of South Sudanese refugees in White Nile state, Sudan, focusing on the impact of pre-refugee life, war-related trauma, and current camp conditions on their mental health. Additionally, it aims to emphasize the strategies used by refugees to cope with challenges and highlight deficiencies in services offered by humanitarian agencis. The study used a qualitative analysis approach and conducted in-depth interviews with 15 refugees from South Sudan residing in White Nile State refugee camps in Sudan. Participants were recruited from the two refugee camps, ensuring diversity in age and gender. All focus group discussions were audio-recorded, and detailed transcripts were generated. The transcribed data were subjected to thematic analysis. The investigation revealed a number of patterns. First, participants recalled a pre-refugee life marked by safety, joy, and community cohesion, which sharply contrasted with their subsequent experiences of violence and displacement. Furthermore, refugees have conveyed substantial psychological distress resulting from their exposure to violence, suffering physical mistreatment, and the loss of their dear ones. These experiences have left profound psychological trauma and feelings of anxiety. Furthermore, the existing circumstances in the refugee camps intensified their psychological distress, as they faced challenges in having access to basic needs, job, schooling, and preserving their cultural traditions. Coping strategies of the refugees predominantly relied on cultural practices, family support, and religious prayer. By incorporating refugees’ resilience and community engagement as factors that promote long-term stability in South Sudanese refugee communities, this study underscores the urgent need for humanitarian organizations to redesign a more holistic approach that includes immediate mental health needs, socioeconomic factors, educational accessibility, and gainful employment. Ultimately, this study advocates a paradigm shift in humanitarian efforts to prioritize mental health services for refugees by addressing the interlinked nature of mental health and broader socioeconomic factors.