Challenges and Responses: A Qualitative Study of Unaccompanied South Sudanese Refugee Children in Jewi, Ethiopia

Abstract

This study explores the challenges affecting unaccompanied refugee children in Jewi refugee camp, located in Gambella, Ethiopia, and it examines the institutional responses to these challenges. Employing a constructivist philosophical stance and a single case study design, the research utilized purposive sampling to collect data from unaccompanied children, their caregivers, and social work practitioners. Data were collected through interviews with twenty unaccompanied refugee children and five key informants, supplemented by a focus group discussion involving twenty-four children, equally divided by gender (twelve males and twelve females). Thematic analysis identified tribal conflict, geographical proximity, and family disintegration as the primary drivers of child migration to Ethiopia. Although the children have access to education and basic healthcare, the findings indicate persistent hardships. These include environmental and psychological challenges, restrictions on extracurricular engagement, cultural disparities, rigid gender norms, limited training opportunities, and inadequacies in health services. The study advocates for sustained stakeholder engagement to safeguard child rights and facilitate family reunification. It also calls for unified coordination among service providers to enhance their delivery mechanisms. Additional recommendations include gender-sensitivity training, psychosocial support, and vocational programs for refugee children.