Malual

Abstract

This chapter tells the story of Malual, a South Sudanese mother living in Kakuma, whose polygamous family sits at the thirtieth percentile of the camp’s income distribution. Displaced by war, catastrophic flooding, and the search for education, she recounts a difficult journey with her co-wives and children from their rural farm to Juba and onward to Kakuma, followed by three months in an overcrowded reception centre. Her story illustrates everyday life for a household fully dependent on a combination of in-kind food rations and cash assistance. The chapter describes the challenges refugees face upon arrival, the highly structured process of food distribution, and the role of religious faith and church networks in helping families cope with hardship.