Through darkness with kindness – The life story of Hussein Mohammad Adam
At 47 years old, Hussein Mohammad Adam has probably endured more hardship than many other people. Yet he leads his life with compassion and steadfest integrity – values no one can take from him, and which shine brightly for him and those around him.
Fleeing Sudan for South Sudan
Born and raised in Sudan, more specifically in West Darfur, Hussein once worked as a lecturer at Jenain University, a respected position he achieved through hard work and discipline. But in 2004, conflict reached his hometown, claiming his father’s life and scattering his family. Two of his sisters fled across the nearby border to Chad. Hussein moved east within the country. In the city of Khartoum, he started over from nothing and built a new life.
As a public vehicle driver, he earned just enough to support his wife Najwa and their five children. Life was not easy, but it was stable, until war once again forced them to flee in 2023. The family traveled by boat along the White Nile to neighboring South Sudan – a country also troubled by conflict, but still offering more safety for life and limb than Hussein’s homeland. Their journey took them across the country. Eventually, they found refuge in Makpandu Refugee Camp in southern South Sudan, almost near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo. Later, they settled near the capital Juba in the Gorom Refugee Camp, where Hussein and his family live today.
"These values opened many doors for me."
Life in the Gorom Refugee Camp is far from simple. Hussein has no regular income and relies on occasional work in the camp to meet his family’s needs. Yet despite everything, he remains guided by the values his late father taught him: discipline, honesty, and kindness toward others.
These lessons, which he once barely understood in the face of challenges and injustices, remain his compass to this day. “At first, I saw it as punishment,” he says, “but later I realized that these values opened many doors for me.”
His values have not gone unnoticed by those around him. In the camp market, shopkeepers and traders know and completely trust Hussein. When times are tough and Hussein does not have enough money, they willingly give him what he needs, knowing he will repay them as soon as he can. Their faith in him is a reflection of the goodness he also extends to those around him.
“I teach my children to be kind and to pray.”
Hussein volunteers with the Water User Management Committee, formed by Malteser International. Working alongside the committee, he helps maintain reliable and safe access to clean water for the community, a vital resource provided by Malteser International. He is proud to contribute to something that benefits everyone through this voluntary work.
Now Hussein dreams of giving his children the opportunities he never had. He hopes they can finish school and realize their dreams. To achieve this, he plans – when his means allow – to one day open a small business in the market. This would provide him and his family with a steady income. Despite all current difficulties, he encourages his children to live by the same principles of kindness, honesty, hard work, and faith that have brought him this far.
“I teach my children to be kind and to pray,” he says. “Peace will return one day, and when it does, I want us to go home.”
Even in difficult times, Hussein remains a man not defined by what he has lost, but by the kindness he can give. Especially in hard times, his attitude and actions shine particularly brightly, becoming a guiding light for all who surround him.
