MALAKAL – Surrounded by maize, okra and pumpkins, Johnson Othwon is checking whether his aunt’s beloved bean plants are already bearing fruit. 

Usually, the 19-year-old would already be on his way to sell fresh produce at the market in Malakal town but today he decided to take some rest. For once. 

“As everyone in this country, we are hustling to make a living. All of us are,” he shares with a sense of pride lighting up his face.

It is due to that hustling that he and his family are now able to support themselves, with a helping hand from the United Nations who relocated Johnson and other families to the area after having previously been displaced by conflict. 

The initiative was supported by local authorities who provided land, the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) which cleared it of unexploded ordnances, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), the International Office for Migration (IOM) and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) which constructed shelters, transported the families, and provided other support.

To qualify, households had to prove that they had previously owned land in Malakal before the town and most of its infrastructure was destroyed during the 2013 civil war, leaving behind ruins which remain a vivid reminder of the suffering of its former residents. 

Today, many of these ruins are hidden between maize and little houses with blue roofs, marking the area of what is called Hai Matar, now home to 128 households. 

But, while new houses were handed over, the returnees had to rebuild their own lives.

It takes daily dedication to maintain the gardens as well as stamina to walk for hours to sell produce that allows for the purchase of other essential items, such as milk and meat. 

Driven by his desire to support his aunt and cousins, Johnson returned to Malakal right after finishing his high school degree in Juba.

“This is my family, my community and I want to be part of the new life we are building together,” explains the recent graduate. 

With this mindset, he and his cousins spent weeks collecting material and building a kitchen that is now adjacent to their little house and provides a beautiful setting for his aunt to prepare meals for their family and neighboring community members. 

Together, they made the vision behind Hai Matar a reality. Following years of conflict and loss, this area is a safe space for people to restart their lives outside of displacement camps, including the UNMISS protection site where some spent more than a decade. 

“It just feels really nice to get up in the morning, go outside and see how everything is blossoming,” smiles Johnson. 

It’s not just vegetation but also dreams that are flourishing in this new environment.

For Johnson, that dream is to become a pharmacist to improve health care in Malakal and contribute to a better future for all.