South Sudan marks 1 year of independence

Photo © UNHCR/K.Mahoney/July 2012

“Today the president was amazing at the one-year anniversary of South Sudan. The president was right on the mark with looking out for the youth, girls education, the displaced and those suffering on the border. Brilliant. So happy to be home.”

- Supermodel & refugee advocate Alek Wek

Alek is currently revisiting her home country, South Sudan, on a journey with UNHCR. She’s helping raise awareness for Sudanese refugees in South Sudan and showing support for South Sudanese people returning to their home after fleeing during the war.

See her travel updates from South Sudan on her Facebook page: Alek Wek’s Journey Home

Do you want to show your support for former refugees, too?

When refugees are fortunate enough to return home, they face nearly as many struggles as they did while living away. Often, their country’s infrastructure is in shambles, the economy is weak and returnees have difficulty providing for themselves and their families. It’s as if they have to re-start from scratch to build the lives they once had.

Show your support for refugees who are rebuilding their lives. Order a Blue Key today and you’ll help them open the door to a better future.

UNHCR is working tirelessly to help Sudanese refugees, thousands of children whose parents have urged them to traverse the country in search of safety and a warm meal, mothers desperate to keep their children safe, families fending off disease and malnutrition. UNHCR also assists women returning to the south in starting businesses and contributes to the development of vital infrastructure like schools, clinics and water facilities for former refugees.