Press Release: Fifteen months on since conflict struck Sudan, Muslim Hands projects are still operating to support millions with emergency aid
UK charity Muslim Hands continues to provide pivotal support to communities in Sudan fifteen months on when conflict first erupted. On 15th April 2023, ongoing violence killed hundreds and thousands were injured, forcing an initial 100,000 Sudanese to flee to neighbouring countries. Now those internally displaced are nearing the ten million mark, across eighteen states, marking Sudan as having the largest internally displaced population in the world.
The country prior to the conflict was already struggling with a humanitarian crisis due to climate change, social and political unrest, and rising food prices, which collectively continue to drive poverty, hunger and displacement. Over 18 million people, one third of the entire population are experiencing severe levels of acute food insecurity and more than 700,000 children are suffering from severe malnutrition.
The continuous violence aggravates the humanitarian situation further, forcing markets to close due to looting and food prices soaring to unprecedented prices. The cost of basics such as vegetables has tripled in some areas of the country and other items like sugar have disappeared altogether.
Muslim Hands has been working in Sudan since 2003 and has managed to continue its operations despite the horrifying violence and insecurity. Some of these tough decisions by Muslim Hands staff have included shifting locations from the epicentre of violence situated in Kharthoum and now locating in the north in a city called Atbarah.
Operations include providing emergency food parcels, which has benefitted 15 million displaced people in Al-Jazeera and the River Nile during key religious periods such as Ramadan and Qurbani. The Muslim Hands Orphan Sponsorship Scheme is still in contact with 915 orphans, with initial communication difficult to establish due to ongoing displacement. Many of the orphans have stayed in Khartoum, whilst others have left the country and are now residing in Egypt and Libya.
The key challenges the Muslim Hands team continue to face are lack of health services, water shortages, bringing children back to education as well as continuous food insecurity. Muslim Hands urges its supporters to give to continue their life-saving work.
Ismail Abdallah, Muslim Hands Country Manager in Sudan, said: ‘Despite the ongoing violence, chaos and security risks to families and Muslim Hands colleagues, we decided to stay in Sudan as this is when our people need us the most. The Sudanese people are living in desperate times and Muslim Hands is doing all that it can with the resources that are available. Our predominant focus has been and will continue to be providing emergency food aid, as more people grapple with alarming rates of hunger and malnutrition.’
Yasrab Shah, Muslim Hands UK Fundraising Director, said: ‘Muslim Hands continues to actively respond to the enormous need in Sudan despite the harsh challenges. We have been working in the country for over 20 years and through this have established strong relationships with key partners. Our teams are actively carrying out needs assessments and liaising with the relevant stakeholders to ensure that Muslim Hands projects continue to run. We urge our donors to continue to give as their vital donations are a lifeline to the Sudanese people.’
ENDS
For more information contact Senior Press Officer, Sahirah Javaid - sahirah.javaid@muslimhands.org.uk or 07736344899
