South Sudan National Day: The Rebirth of Riangrit
Thomas Bol is 12 years old. He's from Riangrit village where he lives with his parents and seven siblings. Riangrit village was abandoned about four years ago due to severe water shortages and repeated attacks by bees, which made it extremely difficult for residents to safely collect water from their homes and surrounding areas.
The lack of clean and safe water forced the entire community to leave their village. Many families, including Thomas’, relocated to Nyamlel, a nearby town, in search of water and better living conditions. During this difficult period, life became extremely hard for Thomas’ family. His father recalls the family struggled daily, as they had left behind their farms and traditional way of life.
The situation became even more tragic as the community lost two children and five elderly people due to dehydration and water-related challenges. This year brought hope and joy back to Riangrit village.
Through On Mission Network support and dedicated donors, the long-abandoned borehole was successfully rehabilitated after being broken for five years. This intervention restored access to clean and safe water for the community.
Following the restoration of the borehole, the entire village began to return home. Thomas and his father were among the first families to come back. They expressed great joy and relief to finally access clean water again and to return to the village where Thomas was born. For Thomas, simple activities such as riding a donkey and fetching clean water for his family created moments of happiness and hope.
Thomas’ father shared his deep gratitude, explaining how life had been extremely difficult after leaving Riangrit. He expressed that returning home meant a new beginning for his family and the entire community. He also thanked God and acknowledged the generosity of the American people whose support made the rehabilitation possible.
Before the borehole broke down, Riangrit village had 76 households. Since its rehabilitation, 16 families have already returned and resettled, and more families are expected to return before the next rainy season as access to water has been restored.
Today, Riangrit village stands as a symbol of hope, resilience and the life-changing impact of access to clean water.