Dying for a Meal: Refugee Woman Perishes in Gold Mine as Hunger Crisis Deepens in Imvepi
Cuts to Food Aid, Unfair Classification, and Unlivable Conditions Push Refugees to the Edge
Imvepi Refugee Settlement, West Nile, Uganda – July 19, 2025
A South Sudanese refugee woman has tragically lost her life while working in an informal gold mining site in the Imvepi Refugee Settlement. She was not searching for wealth—but for a meal to feed her family. Her death shines a grim spotlight on the growing crisis of food insecurity, broken aid systems, and dangerous survival strategies in refugee settlements across Uganda’s West Nile region.
“She Died Trying to Feed Her Children”
According to eyewitnesses, the woman had turned to gold mining after her household was cut off from food assistance. Like thousands of others, she was placed in Category 3—deemed “self-reliant”—without proper assessment or verification. In reality, she had no income, no land to farm, and no alternative means to feed her children.
“She had no choice,” said one community member. “The food rations stopped, and the land around us is too rocky to grow anything. Mining is risky, but when your children are hungry, you risk everything.”
A Silent Emergency: Hunger, Misclassification & Unsafe Work
The situation in Imvepi is becoming increasingly dire. Widespread cuts to food assistance by humanitarian agencies—especially UNHCR—combined with a flawed classification system, are pushing vulnerable families into survival mode. Many now work in unsafe, informal sectors such as gold mining and charcoal burning, often with tragic consequences.
Key issues affecting refugees include:
- 🔻 Food ration cuts that leave thousands hungry
- ❌ Misclassification into Category 3 without proper verification
- 🪨 Rocky, infertile land unsuitable for agriculture
- 💰 Lack of livelihood opportunities or access to income
- 😔 Rising cases of trauma, stress, and even suicide
Refugee Leaders Speak Out
“This tragedy is the result of system failures. Refugees are being pushed into dangerous conditions with no support. Due to aid cuts and unjust categorization, many are left without food, land, or income. Some have even taken their own lives out of hopelessness.
We call on humanitarian actors to urgently review the categorization system and restore aid to those most in need. And we call on South Sudanese leaders to implement the Revitalized Peace Agreement, so that refugees may return home in peace and dignity.”
A Call to Action
The death of this mother is a heartbreaking reminder of what is at stake when systems fail those they are meant to protect.
The Refugee Voice calls on:
- UNHCR and partners to reassess categorization and restore food assistance to the vulnerable
- The Ugandan government and NGOs to provide safe livelihoods and cultivable land
- South Sudanese leaders to fully implement the Revitalized Peace Agreement
How You Can Help
- 📢 Share this article to raise awareness
- 📝 Sign the petition (link coming soon)
- 🤝 Support refugee-led initiatives
- 📬 Advocate with decision-makers
- 🕊 Join the call for peace in South Sudan
Use the hashtags:
#JusticeForRefugees #CriseImvepi #PeaceForSouthSudan
