Soap Making Project

Empowering Displaced Communities Through the Soap Making Incubator Program: A Journey from Survival to Recovery

The Soap Making Incubator Program was designed to provide displaced individuals from four camps in South Darfur with the knowledge, technical skills, and small business guidance needed to stabilize their livelihoods. Initially, our intervention was focused on life-saving assistance in response to immediate disasters. However, this phase of our work aimed to transition people from mere survival to recovery—helping them rebuild their lives with dignity and self-sufficiency.

For many, this program was a beacon of hope, offering not just skills but a pathway to economic independence. Women who once relied entirely on aid were now learning to produce high-quality soap, generate income, and sustain their families. The project’s impact was tangible, restoring dignity and empowering survivors of conflict to take control of their futures.

Unimaginable Setbacks: The Attack on Nyala

Despite the program’s success, tragedy struck in April 2023 when the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) launched an attack on Nyala, where our community center was located. The brutal assault devastated everything we had built. Lives were lost, families torn apart, and the infrastructure we had worked so hard to establish was reduced to ruins. Many of our program participants were killed, while others were displaced—either within the city or forced to flee to North Darfur’s Zamzam Camp.

Those who sought refuge in Zamzam found no respite. Instead, they became trapped in a besieged city, facing relentless drone attacks and bombings. Others who remained in South Darfur were displaced once again, their whereabouts unknown. The destruction of our community center was more than just the loss of a building—it was the destruction of livelihoods, hope, and years of effort to create stability in an already fragile community.

A Failing International Response

It is deeply disheartening to witness established organizations like the United Nations, with their vast resources and expertise, failing to make the right decisions when it comes to feeding and protecting those trapped in conflict zones. The international response to ethnic cleansing in Darfur has been shamefully inadequate. The people of Zamzam and El Fasher continue to suffer from starvation, violence, and displacement, yet little meaningful action has been taken to address their plight.

When the world's most powerful humanitarian organizations faltered, our partnership with GlobalGiving became a bridge to survival. Through the Sudan Emergency Fund, we provided essential resources, ensuring that the most vulnerable families in Zamzam Camp and beyond received life-saving assistance. At a time when many international actors failed to act, this partnership allowed us to stand with those in dire need.

A Call for Continued Action

We extend our deepest gratitude to GlobalGiving for their unwavering support and to every individual who has contributed to sustaining our mission. Together, we have proven that even in the face of unimaginable violence and displacement, hope and resilience can prevail. The fight is far from over. Families in Sudan continue to endure unthinkable suffering, and we cannot turn our backs on them now.

Now more than ever,let’s stand together. Let us continue to be the voice for those silenced by war. Let us provide for those abandoned in their greatest hour of need. Let us ensure that the world does not forget the people of Darfur.

With your continued support, we will rebuild, empower, and protect the most vulnerable. Together, we are not just providing aid—we are restoring humanity.

Thank you for standing with us and the families of Sudan during this time of crisis.