My name is Florence Wuya Dumba, and I am a social empowerment trainer at Women for Women International in South Sudan. For over three years, I have been working closely with participants of our ‘Stronger Women Stronger Nations’ program, supporting them to realize their power to create safe spaces where they can share their experiences and heal from their trauma.
As a survivor of two abductions, I can attest to the increase in violence against women and the urgent need for support. The first incident occurred in 2018 when I was traveling to Uganda to visit my family.
We had just started our journey from Yei town when we were ambushed and forced off the road into the bushes. There were seven of us in the vehicle. The assailants ordered us to exit the car. They ransacked us and took everything, including our valuables and all the money we had. I was terrified and thought I might be killed.
Afterward, we were taken into the bush and walked for nine days. We barely had something to eat or drink. We survived on yams. Tragically, one of the women in our group died. The abductors were getting tired and, eventually, ended up sending us to a local chief who connected us with an INGO, who rescued us. The impact of this traumatic experience is something I carry with me every day. But little did I know then that I would have to face another horrifying experience a few years later.
This incident occurred in November 2024 while I was traveling to Uganda, and it was equally frightening and traumatic. We were confronted by armed individuals who forced us out of our vehicle. They commanded our driver to take us into the bush, and we had no choice but to follow. Once we reached the bush, they demanded that we surrender all our belongings. We were asked to carry all our luggage as we walked deeper into the bush. They took everything we had, set our vehicle ablaze, and then released us, leaving us to find our way out.
The first few days were incredibly difficult to endure because the abductors were strangers, and I feared they might kill us at any moment. Despite my fear, I complied with the abductors' instructions. Whenever we stopped, I would try to fall asleep, and sometimes I would sing to feel better.
After my release, my friends, colleagues, and the women I had been training were the first to support me. The program participants were among the first individuals I met after returning from the bush. I felt compelled to share my abduction experiences because I believe it could happen to anyone in my community. I also returned to work immediately; staying home would have led me to dwell on the incident and everything I had lost.
Training the participants and sharing my experiences proved to be therapeutic for me, as some of them had gone through similar situations. Through the training sessions, I began my healing journey. A colleague also introduced me to a counselor whom I still speak with on a weekly basis about my experiences. I strongly believe that expressing our vulnerabilities by sharing our stories is a powerful tool for healing and understanding.
Every day after my social empowerment class with our participants, we hold a voluntary thirty-minute session where we sit down and share our experiences. This session serves as a safe healing space, and everything discussed remains confidential and personal. The issues that are shared often involve abductions, marriage issues, household finances, and gender-based violence. Sharing these experiences is a healing process.
Over the years, the women have become comfortable and now speak up about various challenges they face. Since we started these discussions, I have not encountered any issues regarding confidentiality, which demonstrates the trust we are building. If we find someone who is struggling and we cannot provide the necessary support as a group, we refer them to professional counselors for additional help. Trust and support are crucial in these situations, and it's important for the women to remember that they're not alone.
I advise the women I train to remain calm in difficult situations. In a dangerous situation, I feel it is often safer to stay submissive and follow instructions. If faced with questions you can’t answer, silence may be the best option, as giving wrong answers can complicate matters. Compliance can feel uncomfortable, but it can be the safest approach.
The situation has become increasingly dangerous in South Sudan, and one never knows when abductions might happen. Some people have gone through such situations many times, and I myself have experienced it twice. I now understand that it can happen to anyone, and that is why I support other women in my community.
It is crucial that we address these issues and work towards providing a safe space for women and the tools they need to cope with the trauma that follows such harrowing incidents.