Children in Sudan Eating Once a Day Amid Worsening Humanitarian Crisis

The humanitarian crisis in Sudan is deepening, with acute malnutrition threatening the lives of over 825,000 children. The United Nations warns that the situation is likely to deteriorate further by summer. Children in affected areas are now surviving on just one meal per day, a stark indicator of the escalating crisis.

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The children tell us that they now only eat one meal a day instead of two.

As the conflict enters its fourth year, multiple UN agencies, including the FAO, WFP, and Unicef, have issued an urgent joint warning. Nearly 19.5 million people in Sudan are suffering from acute food shortages, meaning almost two out of every five inhabitants face hunger. Compounding the crisis, humanitarian actors are struggling to contain outbreaks of cholera, mpox, and dengue fever, with hundreds of cases registered.

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There is a severe shortage of food and materials. The internally displaced people here are completely dependent on humanitarian aid. They live in tents and lack income sources.

"Mohammed," who heads an international child rights organization and requested anonymity for his safety, described a desperate situation in the besieged city of el-Obeid. He reported severe shortages of food and essential materials, leaving internally displaced persons entirely dependent on humanitarian aid. These individuals live in tents with no income sources. The city, home to about 1.2 million people, many of whom are displaced, suffers from a critical lack of fuel, driving up prices for all goods, including food. Medical supplies are also scarce, leading to preventable deaths despite efforts by mobile clinics.

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This has led to sharp price increases for everything, not just food. There is also a shortage of medical supplies, which means many die from lack of care despite our efforts to help through mobile clinics.

The conflict has also seen an increase in civilian casualties from drone attacks. "Mohammed" recounted the recent deaths of his uncle and a colleague in a factory attack, where a second strike targeted rescue personnel. Furthermore, between 50,000 and 60,000 children have been unable to attend school for over two years in displacement camps. The dire conditions in these camps also increase the risk of abuse and sexual exploitation. Millions have been forced to flee Sudan, with many seeking refuge in neighboring countries like Chad, where aid workers like medical student Azraa Haroun are trying to provide support and create safe spaces for traumatized children.

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Between 50,000 and 60,000 children have not been able to go to school for over two years in the camps. The total darkness in the camps also makes it easier to carry out abuse and sexual exploitation.