Sudan crisis: “I fear we won't survive much longer”

Sudan is grappling with one of the world’s worst displacement crises. Since the start of the war in April 2023, nearly 13 million people have fled their homes across the country.

Recent escalations in North Darfur have further displaced 400,000 people from Zamzam IDPs camp. Since North Darfur serves as Darfur’s commercial and humanitarian hub, people are leaving via any means possible, including walking, riding donkeys, horse carts, and trucks. They fled carrying little more than the clothes on their backs and sought refuge in other locations in the area. For example, Nayla in South Darfur receives more than 40 families daily, primarily women and children.

“Humanitarian needs are immense, while resources remain severely limited. We urge the international community to address the escalating crisis and not to turn its back on the situation in Sudan,” says Mohamed from CARE in Sudan.

No aid = No food

In Sudan 24.6 million  people do not have enough food to eat, including at least 638,000 who face the risk of starvation. The ongoing aid cuts have deepened an already precarious crisis, pushing more people closer to the edge.

“We’re cuffed! Running the community kitchen — the lifeline for millions — is no longer possible. We used to provide fresh and nutritious meals for 1,800 displaced families and community members,” says Ali, a community kitchen volunteer from East Darfur.

“Today, the kitchen that once gave us hope stands empty, leaving me with nothing to feed my starving children. I fear we won’t survive much longer. We feel the world has forgotten us,” says Amna*, 45, a mother of six now living in East Darfur after fleeing her home.

“For most people, what they get from the kitchen is the only meal of the day. We feel helpless looking at our empty cooking ware while people are starving. Starving people are eating boiled tree leaves to kill their hunger. We call on you to provide us with resources to reopen the community kitchen urgently to save lives,” Ali adds.

Since January, funding cuts have forced the closure of nearly 80% of emergency food centers, shutting down more than 1,100 communal kitchens. This has left nearly two million people struggling to survive without vital food assistance.

Beyond hunger: Other urgent needs

Many internally displaced people, having fled their homes two or even three times, are now living under trees and in open areas. With the rainy season underway, they urgently need shelter — a roof over their heads — and this situation cannot wait.

In addition to shelter, these people also desperately need medical care. The health sector has been severely affected, with over 70% of the facilities no longer functioning in the conflict-affected areas. Medical supplies are critically scarce, and most medical personnel have fled.

Access to clean water is another priority. The prolonged conflict has severely damaged public water services. Moreover, high fuel prices and the lack of electricity have led to a dramatic reduction in the quantity and quality of water produced.

Beyond these hardships, many have lost their means of income — such as agriculture, trade, and animal breeding — as instability continues to disrupt daily life.

CARE, Always There

CARE provides multipurpose cash assistance (MPCA) to help people pay for food, medication, housing materials, transportation, and set up small businesses. For example, in South and East Darfur, about 15,000 families, each averaging six members, have received MPCA.

To help farmers grow food, CARE worked with 4,000 farmers in South Darfur to provide technical support, fertilizers, and improved seeds. This support is especially important because most banks that used to fund farmers are now closed.

For free primary healthcare, treating malnourished children and maternity services, CARE’s clinics are often the only option in many remote areas. For example, the CARE mobile clinic in Nyala, South Darfur, offers primary health care services to newly displaced people from North Darfur. We support approximately 60 displaced people daily with critical services such as medical consultations, maternal health, immunizations, and treatment for malnutrition.

“Exhausted after days of walking under the unbearable sun without food or water, we arrived in Nyala. My child was sick, and I couldn’t afford a doctor,” says Hawa*, a displaced woman from Zamzam camp. “Last week, I took him to the CARE mobile clinic where he was diagnosed with a respiratory infection and received free medication.” CARE has already reached 260,000 people with much-needed health care. However, CARE services are at risk as funding dries up.

For clean water and sanitation, CARE and its partners have upgraded water systems, installed solar panels, and built latrines in camps and schools that are tailored to the needs of women and girls. Now, women and girls do not need to travel long distances to collect water risking their safety and health.

What needs to happen: A call to the world

The people of Sudan are facing unimaginable suffering. We need urgent actions to restore and increase humanitarian funding, reopen community kitchens, and restart lifesaving food distributions. We must also prioritize long-term support focused on health services, clean water, sanitation, and economic opportunities.

“We continue to advocate for unimpeded, unhindered humanitarian access and urge all parties to allow humanitarian workers to reach those in need,” says CARE Sudan country director Abdirahman Ali.

“We call upon the parties to the conflict to prioritize human life, protect civilians, uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law, and ensure that public facilities, humanitarian aid workers, and civilians are protected from the bombardments and killings we continue to witness across Sudan. We look forward to having this conflict coming to an end.”

*Names changed