SOUTH SUDAN / REFUGEES

Former refugees bring very special insight to their jobs helping refugees. UNHCR

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:03:15
• Production Date: 10 November 2012
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES - UNHCR
• Subject Topical: HUMANITARIAN RELIEF; REFUGEES; DISPLACED PERSONS
• Geographic Subject: SOUTH SUDAN
• MAMS Id: U121110a

Description

STORY: SOUTH SUDAN / REFUGEES
TRT: 3.15
SOURCE: UNHCR
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 6 OCTOBER 2012, JAMAM REFUGEE CAMP, SOUTH SUDAN

Shotlist

1. Various shots, refugees walking
2. Wide shot, refugees waiting
3. Various shots, Jack Ruey working with refugees
4. Med shot, refugee children
5. Various shots, Jack Ruey working with refugees
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Jack Ruey, Former Refugee, UNHCR South Sudan:
"Am feeling happy because I am helping those people who suffered the way I suffered outside this country."
7. Med shot, Idris Hassan working at the distribution center
8. Close up, Idris distributing blankets to refugees
9. Med shot, Idris Hassan working at the distribution center
10. Close up, Idris writing down information of refugee
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Idris Hassan - Former Refugee, Danish Refugee Council:
"As a refugee who has encountered refugee situation I am more than happy to help my people. I am so happy indeed."
12. Various shots, refugees in the camp
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Christian Bauradere, Protection officer, UNHCR:
"Former refugees have more much easier time to relate to what refugees are going through. For them it's easier to understand their motivations, emotions and how they perceive us as humanitarian workers."
14. Various shots, Charles Jamba washing car
15. Wide shot, Charles checking car
16. Wide shot, Charles driving car
17. SOUNDBITE (English) Charles Jamba, Former Refugee, Driver, UNHCR:
"I was a refugee in Uganda so now I am happy to work with refugees, as they brought me here to work for refugees."
18. Wide shot, Jack Ruey working with refugees
19. Various shots, refugee women
20. Wide shot, Jack Ruey walking
21. SOUNDBITE (English) Jack Ruey, Former Refugee, UNHCR South Sudan:
"When I came back I had interest to work with UNHCR. I am like a child who has grown up under his father and you can not forget your father who educated you and gave you everything."
22. Wide shot, Jack Ruey walking
23. Wide shot, Jack entering his tent
24. Med shot, Jack taking off his UNHCR vest
25. Close up, UNHCR vest

Storyline

For most refugees in the world, finding their way to a home, old or new, is a struggle.

War, conflict, famine have pushed them away from their lives.

Jack Ruey fled from what is now South Sudan to Ethiopia with his family when he was 18 years old.

But now, he is back in his country a former refugee helping new refugees.

As a field officer for UNHCR in Jamam, in South Sudan, Jack acts as a camp manager. He makes sure the refugees have water, health centres and schools.

SOUNDBITE (English) Jack Ruey, Former Refugee, UNHCR South Sudan:
"Am feeling happy because I am helping those people who suffered the way I suffered outside this country."

At this distribution centre in Yusuf Batil refugee camp, Idris Hassan rushes to give supplies to those in need. He too is a former refugee.

Idris fled to Ethiopia after losing his parents in the Sudanese civil war.

SOUNDBITE (English) Idris Hassan, Former Refugee, Danish Refugee Council:
"As a refugee who has encountered refugee situation I am more than happy to help my people. I am so happy indeed."

Former refugees bring very special insight to their work, a contribution seen by UNHCR to highly valuable.

SOUNDBITE (English) Christian Bauradere, UNHCR Protection officer:
"Former refugees have more much easier time to relate to what refugees are going through. For them it's easier to understand their motivations emotions and how they perceive us as humanitarian workers."

Charles Jamba left South Sudan in 1999, another victim of the Sudanese civil war. He spent over six years in one of the refugee camps in Uganda. But he learnt car mechanics and trained as a driver.

Earlier this year, he returned to South Sudan when UNHCR employed him.

SOUNDBITE (English) Charles Jamba, Former Refugee, Driver, UNHCR:
"I was a refugee in Uganda so now I am happy to work with refugees, as they brought me here to work for refugees."

Jack says he will never forget his time as a refugee, the hardship, the anxieties and at times the despair that life would never get better.

Then, he says UNHCR gave him hope.

SOUNDBITE (English) Jack Ruey, Former Refugee, UNHCR South Sudan:
"When I came back I had interest to work with UNHCR. I am like a child who has grown up under his father and you can not forget your father who educated you and gave you everything."

For all these former refugees, now humanitarian workers, help given to them so many years ago is now being imparted onto those who need the same today.

Help that offers the refugees some support and some hope.