Emergency aid Sudan

Kaltouma (35) and her sister Hassaneih (25)
fled western Sudan. Both live with a 
physical disability and are visually impaired. 
They are now actively trying to start a new 
life in the Aboutengué refugee camp in eastern 
Chad.

A dangerous and arduous escape
The war in Sudan has been raging for over two 
years – violence is escalating particularly in 
the Darfur region. Millions of people have been 
displaced. Among them are the sisters Kaltouma 
and Hassaneih. After their father was killed in 
the fighting, they had to leave their hometown 
of Al-Kuraynik and embark on a dangerous and 
arduous escape.

"People threw us onto the roof of a truck like 
luggage," Kaltouma recalls. Their route took 
them through various camps for internally 
displaced people in Sudan: Sissi, Ardamata, and 
Geneina. Along the way, they were once stopped at 
a Rapid Support Forces (RSF) checkpoint – and 
robbed. "We saw men and women being beaten by the 
RSF," the sisters report.

New Challenges in the Camp
After days of uncertainty, they finally reached 
Adré, a town on the border with Chad. From there, 
they were taken to the Aboutengué camp. But even 
here, new challenges awaited them: "The living 
conditions here are very difficult," says Kaltouma.

Because they could barely move, they were 
confined to a very small space for weeks: "We 
had to crawl to get anywhere."

"Now we are free"
Help only arrived after a few weeks: Our alliance 
organization Handicap International, which offers 
rehabilitation services for refugees in the camp, 
gave the sisters wheelchairs. "Now we are free and 
happy," says Hassaneih.

"We can visit our friends, go to the market, and 
even to the soccer field." Today, they regularly 
watch soccer matches between the individual 
residential areas. "Of course, we support our 
block – Block 2!" she adds proudly. This newfound 
freedom of movement has fundamentally changed the 
sisters' everyday lives.

Despite all the setbacks, Kaltouma and Hassaneih 
are thinking about the future. "Our dream is to 
be healthy. We hope that our condition will 
continue to improve," says Kaltouma. For them, 
health means independence – just like education. 
"We have to learn and study," they explain.

The dream of owning their own fashion business
Their shared passion for fashion also plays a role. 
"We dream of having beautiful clothes. And we're 
interested in fashion," the two say. For Hassaneih, 
it's more than just a wish: "We would like to buy 
and sell clothes and fabrics at the market."

As women with disabilities, their job market 
prospects are slim. But with their idea, they don't 
just want to stand on their own two feet financially; 
they want to actively shape their new lives. "Because 
we have a disability, we can't do many jobs. But we 
think we could build a fashion business together."

Despite all the obstacles, Kaltouma and Hassaneih 
envision a future in which they are not only 
independent, but also contribute to rebuilding 
their own community, finding their own path to 
autonomy.

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