Save the Children

Famine has been officially declared in the Darfur region of Sudan.

Areas near the capital Al Fasher, including in the Zamzam displacement camp, are now experiencing catastrophic levels of hunger. Officials warn that other displacement camps in the area are likely experiencing famine-like conditions as well.

It’s been more than a year since violent conflict broke out in the capital of Sudan that has since created the world’s largest hunger crisis. By one estimate, as many as 2.5 million Sudanese could die from hunger by the end of September. 

Despite the staggering levels of need, this crisis is not getting the attention it deserves. We have seen what happens when we don’t act. In 2011, 260,000 people lost their lives in a devastating famine in the Horn of Africa, and half of them were young children.

The window of opportunity to avert widespread death and starvation is closing. Save the Children is providing families with lifesaving aid during this crisis, including health, nutrition, education, child protection and food security and livelihoods programs. In coordination with 25 local partners, we’ve reached over 887,900 people in Sudan with humanitarian support so far this year

Here is how we are responding in Sudan to address the needs of families:

HEALTH AND NUTRITION With a health system on the brink of collapse, we’re delivering lifesaving health and nutrition services, including running mobile health clinics in camps for displaced families. We’re treating children with malnutrition by integrating nutrition services into our mobile clinics and scaling up efforts to detect and refer malnourished children for treatment. We’re also responding to a major outbreak of cholera and have established three treatment centers to provide critical support to children and their families.

WATER, SANITATION AND HYGIENE We’re improving families’ access to safe drinking water by building and repairing water sources, water trucking, water quality monitoring and distribution of purification equipment. We’re also educating communities on hygiene practices through information sessions, home visits and hygiene campaigns.

FOOD SECURITY AND LIVELIHOODS We’re providing food and targeted cash assistance to families with malnourished children to improve food security.

EDUCATION In response to education disruptions due to the conflict, we have established 65 accelerated learning programs across seven states. These are classes specifically designed to help children who have had their education disrupted while formal education opportunities are out of reach. We’re strengthening local education systems by collaborating with the Ministry of Education to ensure teachers and local officials are equipped to handle challenges. We’re currently supporting 400 schools across the country and have supported over 82,000 children through our education programming.

CHILD PROTECTION We’re organizing community-based activities in safe spaces, such as community centers and child-friendly spaces, to support children’s mental health. We’re also identifying vulnerable children to ensure they and their families are connected to the services they need, including mental health and psychosocial support.

Save the Children has addressed the needs of children and families in Sudan since 1983. In 2024, we aim to reach 1.1M people with aid, including 739,000 children.

Links:

• Save the Children - Sudan
• Save the Children - Hunger and Famine