The crisis children are facing
Sudan is caught in a perfect storm of violence, hunger and displacement that's devastating children's lives.
The world's largest child displacement crisis
6.5 million children have been forced from their homes. They've seen their schools bombed, their hospitals looted, their playgrounds destroyed. Many have lost family members to violence they should never have witnessed.
Catastrophic hunger
More than half the population is struggling to find enough food to survive. 11.6 million children are facing crisis levels of hunger. In El Fasher and Kadugli, children and their families are facing starvation as famine takes hold. One in three children under five are acutely malnourished, and without urgent treatment, many will not survive.
Recently, famine thresholds were surpassed in two additional North Darfur localities - Um Baru and Kernoi - on top of existing famine conditions in El Fasher and Kadugli. More than 21 million people face acute food insecurity, and nearly two-thirds of the population is expected to need humanitarian aid this year.
Trapped and forgotten
260,000 people, including 130,000 children, remain trapped in El Fasher after the city fell under siege. They face famine-like conditions, no access to healthcare, and no safe way out. Families who try to escape face extreme danger along the routes. Some have walked for four days without food or water, only to be robbed, beaten and threatened by armed groups along the way.
Updated March 2026
What this means for children
Children are paying the highest price for a conflict they had no part in.
They're being killed and injured. Their schools and hospitals have become battlegrounds. They're at grave risk of forced recruitment by armed groups, sexual violence and abduction.
They're living in crowded camps, sleeping in makeshift shelters with no safe place to learn or play. Their worlds have been turned upside down, and many are exposed to violence and trauma no child should ever experience.
Despite the staggering levels of need, this crisis is not getting the attention it deserves. There's an unprecedented lack of funding and critical gaps in humanitarian access.
"Sudan is not a crisis the world has failed to notice. It is a crisis the world is choosing to ignore." Read our CEO Moazzam Malik's piece in the Independent.
Vishna Shah (Director of Child Rights Advocacy) engaging with children at a Save the Children supported girls’ school in Red Sea State.
SHOW THE GOVERNMENT THAT SUDAN MATTERS
We're calling on the UK government to do everything it can to protect children in Sudan.
Email your MP to demand that they speak up in Parliament and write to the Foreign Secretary. It takes less than a minute to send - but can make a lifetime of difference.
How we're helping children in Sudan
We've been working in Sudan since 1983. Today, we're one of the largest international charities operating in the country. In 2025, we reached over 1.9 million people, including more than 917,000 children.
Along with local partners, we're working under extreme conditions to reach children in the hardest-hit areas with life-saving support.
Health and nutrition
We're running mobile health clinics in camps for displaced people and providing nutrition supplements for malnourished children. We've set up cholera treatment centres and arranged six cargo flights of 200 metric tonnes of medical supplies, plus 60 metric tonnes of nutrition supplies via seaport. This year alone, we've reached over 715,000 children with integrated health and nutrition programmes.
Water, sanitation and hygiene
We're ensuring access to clean water, sanitation facilities and hygiene promotion to prevent disease outbreaks in overcrowded camps. We're providing emergency hygiene kits and setting up water points in displacement sites.
Education
We're supporting 400 schools across the country. So far, we've helped over 45,000 children access formal education and 37,000 children through non-formal education programmes. We're running accelerated learning programmes so children can catch up on missed classes and continue their education despite the crisis.
Child protection and psychosocial support
We're creating safe spaces where children can play, draw and take part in sports to help them overcome trauma. These activities also relieve pressure on parents dealing with their own stress. For children showing severe signs of trauma, we refer them for specialised psychological care.
Emergency response in Tawila and Jabal Marra
We've rapidly scaled up operations in these areas, reaching over 224,000 displaced people. We're operating 11 health facilities and mobile clinics, and providing emergency shelter, food, water and hygiene kits.
We're also supporting children who've fled to neighbouring countries like South Sudan and Egypt.
Meet Ali*, an explosion survivor
Photo credit: Hamid Abdulsalam/Save the Children
"I believe things will get better." - Ali, 13
Ali and his brother, Nour*, were playing football with friends when a shell exploded near their home.
In a split second, their lives changed forever: Ali lost his leg, and Nour suffered severe abdominal injuries and a spinal fracture.
Their mum embarked on a desperate journey to find help. Health systems were collapsing around them, and Nour's treatment was interrupted over and over by attacks on hospitals. But she never gave up.
When the family reached Gedaref, we were there to help. We supported Ali with motor wheelchair, and the family with livesaving essentials like beds, blankets and mosquito nets.
We also made sure Ali and Nour had school uniforms and bags, so they can continue to learn.
*names changed to keep children safe
Together, we can save lives
Children in Sudan are living through a nightmare, but with your support, we can reach them with the food, healthcare, protection and hope they desperately need.
Together, we can make sure Sudan's children are not forgotten.
