Upper Nile State officials and humanitarian partners during the handover of newly constructed houses to internally displaced families in Malakal. Courtesy photo.

The government of Nile State, in partnership with humanitarian organizations, has handed over 50 newly built houses and a water station in Malakal to internally displaced families as part of efforts to support their reintegration into the community.

The state Ministry of Housing, Lands and Public Utilities and the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission said the initiative will support the return and reintegration of displaced families.

The state Minister of Housing, Lands and Public Utilities, Michael Nyatow, and the Chairperson of the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission, Kujo Shol, commissioned the project with support from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA).

Nyatow said the houses and water facility will serve residents of the Airport and Lwakat neighborhoods, improving access to safe housing and clean water for returning families and host communities.

According to the ministry, the initiative is part of broader government efforts to promote the voluntary and dignified return of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees to their places of origin in Malakal.

The project aims to provide secure housing, improve living conditions, and restore essential services for communities affected by years of conflict and displacement.