These families are literally starting from nothing, having lost everything when they had to flee.

Joseph Kubya and his family are a testament to the courage of families yearning to return home.

Having spent the last decade or so living in the jungle, hiding from soldiers and militias, the Kubya family have recently returned to their home village of Rokon.

They are anxious to return to their small plot of land, but years of neglect and a lack of infrastructure, such as clean water, irrigation, health care and schools are making it impossible right now.

Our efforts will help the Kubya family complete their journey home and restore their lives beyond what they enjoyed before they were forced to flee so many years ago.

Prolonged conflict has taken a horrifying toll on families throughout Sudan, especially in the south.

It's estimated that more than 1.5 million people have died over the past two decades. Nearly 4 million of the survivors are still homeless.

Peace persists in southern Sudan, despite the struggles further north in Darfur where we continue to provide emergency relief for suffering families.

Right now, hundreds of thousands of families from the south are on the move, hoping to return to the homes and villages they left behind during the conflict.

HOPE International Development Agency is helping these families return home by providing the necessities they so desperately need. Without clean water, food production, health care and education, these families will not be able to restore their lives and re- establish their communities.

Providing clean water will make it possible for families to reduce the incidence of disease and improve their health.

Irrigation and agricultural tools will help families grow an abundant and sustainable supply of nutritious food for their own consumption or for sale at the local markets.

Health care, disease prevention and improved sanitation practices will restore and protect people's health.

Children will be able to attend school and use their education to ensure that they do not fall victim to poverty.

These four areas of effort will ensure that families have a home and community worth returning to after years of exile.