When fighting broke out between state and non-state armed actors in Akobo, Deng Tot Thiep, 37, had minutes to decide what to take. He grabbed what he could carry and left with his wife and six children for Tergol, Ethiopia.
He came home to rubble
His family of seven crossed into Ethiopia, a 30-minute walk from Akobo, with almost nothing.
In Tergol, the situation was no better. The family was not recognised as refugees and had no access to official assistance. They lived under a tree without shelter, clean water, or food, surviving on fish they caught and leaves from trees.
When Akobo was recaptured by an armed opposition group, Deng made the decision to return. He came home to find his house destroyed. Their belongings were gone. Their source of livelihood was gone. What was once a place of security for his family had turned into ruins. With no shelter, clothing, or basic household items of their own, Deng and his family moved into an empty hut belonging to a neighbour, and depended on relatives for food.
According to a UNOCHA Joint statement issued on 8 May 2026, over 200,000 people were displaced from Akobo County, more than 100,000 of whom crossed into Ethiopia. The county is experiencing catastrophic levels of hunger and malnutrition. Critical services have also been disrupted. Akobo Hospital was among the facilities looted and damaged during the conflict, severely limiting access to healthcare.
Deng’s family is one of 85 targeted by the Norwegian Refugee Council’s (NRC) emergency response in Akobo.
“We thank God for NRC, who came to support us during our most vulnerable time,” says Deng. “Without their timely assistance, we would have suffered greatly or even lost our lives. With the cash assistance I received, I will rebuild a shelter for my family.”
With funding from Norway, NRC is currently responding to the most urgent needs of 85 families in Akobo County, including internally displaced people (IDPs), returnees, and host community members. The assistance covers cash transfers and legal aid to secure key identity documents, and housing and employment rights.
Deng is still living in his neighbour's hut. He plans to use the cash assistance to build a new shelter before the next rainy season.
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