Nyayala Thout Choi came to the Gambella Ngunyyiel refugee camp in Ethiopia in March 2017 after fleeing the ethnic conflict in South Sudan. She has eight children and five grandchildren and lives with her grandchildren. Her granddaughter feeds and bathes her, and helps her go to the latrine. Here’s her story, in her words.

Life was harsh when she arrived at the refugee camp

“When war started in my country, my family and I fled together. It was not safe; we needed security and started our journey to the border with Ethiopia. It is because of my family’s support that I was able to make it to the refugee camp. My grandchildren carried me the whole way. When we arrived last year, life was difficult. I didn’t have a mattress to sleep on or bedsheets to keep warm on cold nights. My back hurt from sleeping on the floor.”

HelpAge made it possible for her to sleep well and get around

“Thanks to HelpAge, I was able to get a mattress and bedsheets. Now I sleep well at night. They also gave me a wheelchair, which helps me to move from place to place. Even though it is difficult to move the wheelchair by myself, it’s now easy for my granddaughter to take me any place I want with the wheelchair. The wheelchair is also comfortable for me to sit in.”