A quarter of a million pounds to feed children and families in Sudan

As the civil war in Sudan rages on, millions are facing severe food shortages, disease, and violence. Children have lost their homes, their sense of safety, and their families. Extreme hunger has reached catastrophic levels, and this is the largest child displacement crisis in the world.

Since the conflict began in April 2023, World Vision – a charity working to end poverty for children, for good - has reached over three million people with emergency assistance. But sadly, as the devastating crisis continues to push more and more people to the edge, funding remains essential to enable the charity to deliver life-saving aid to those on the verge of famine-like conditions.

Benefact Trust’s Crisis Response Grants are helping World Vision UK to deliver food, shelter, and water supplies to children and families in Sudan and neighbouring countries where many have fled for safety. 

The background of the Sudan Crisis

In April 2023, fighting between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) broke out in Sudan. Sudanese families and children are now facing the largest child displacement crisis in the world, with millions forced to flee their homes in search of safety, food, shelter, and health care. Over 30.4 million people (64% of the population) are in desperate need, with 14.6 million having been displaced and 25.5 million facing ‘crisis’ levels of food insecurity. 

Famine conditions have been confirmed in parts of North Darfur, and experts warn that other conflict-affected areas in Sudan are at risk, with children already dying. The situation is an acute food insecurity crisis that could rival the worst in modern history.

World Vision is one of the largest humanitarian agencies in Sudan, having worked there for decades. World Vision’s operations are ongoing and with funding support and access they can expand their life-saving work.

World Vision’s aid in Sudan

World Vision has been working across the worst impacted areas of Sudan - Blue Nile, South Darfur, East Darfur, and South Kordofan – providing food, water, cash assistance, health services, and sanitation. With the help of its supporters, the charity has been able to provide assistance in the following ways:

•    Over 750,000 people have received food assistance
•    Over 300,000 have access to clean, safe water
•    Over 710,000 have been reached with health services
•    1.8 million children have been reached with life-saving aid, to date.

Unfortunately, the crisis in Sudan continues but with help, including Benefact Trust’s recent grants, organisations like World Vision remain committed to supporting those who need it most.

World Vision National Director, Simon Mane, said: “We are staring at a humanitarian abyss. When half the population of a country is unsure of their next meal, and hundreds of thousands are in catastrophe levels of food insecurity, it is no longer a crisis - it is a collapse. We need to do everything we can to get life-saving aid to children who are on the brink of death from acute food insecurity. Foreign aid cuts around the world mean humanitarian assistance targets have been forced to be slashed from 20.9 million people to 17.3 million, leaving millions without hope. We are so grateful that members of the international community are taking heart and sending aid to enable us to continue our urgent life-saving operations.”

Helen Gray, Benefact Trust Director, said: “It’s devastating that Sudan is still in a state of crisis, two years on from the start of the civil war. Before the conflict began, Sudan was already in severe humanitarian need and now the situation has reached catastrophic levels.

“We know how tirelessly charities like World Vision are working to save lives and they’re making an enormous difference. That’s why we’re deeply committed to supporting their efforts through our grant funding.”

To find out more about Word Vision’s work in Sudan, visit: https://www.worldvision.org.uk/emergencies/sudanappeal/ 

*Header image: Farchana refugee camp school. All images credit - World Vision