Al Houri camp, located in Gedaref, eastern Sudan, has become a refuge for those fleeing the ongoing conflict. Among them is Ashraf, 48, who was forced to leave his home in Sennar when clashes erupted last July.
Over 150,000 people have made the same journey to neighbouring Gedaref in search of safety. For many, this was the second or even third time they had been forced to abandon their homes since the outbreak of war in Sudan in April 2023.
"We are waiting to return home"
The journey’s start
“Upon arriving, [my wife] passed away, and I couldn’t do anything. I buried her in Gedaref.”
When the conflict reached Sennar, Ashraf was forced to make the difficult decision to leave. He needed to secure healthcare for his sick wife. In July, he left home with his wife and their four children, accompanied by his mother, brother, and sister-in-law.
The journey to Gedaref, mostly on foot, covered over 300km and spanned three days. As rain poured down, Ashraf had to carry his children on his shoulders while wading through streams of water.
Shortly after their arrival, Ashraf's wife passed away, leaving him alone to care for their four children.
"I couldn't do anything,” he says. “I buried her in Gadaref, and I was left with a heavy burden."
The journey’s start
“Upon arriving, [my wife] passed away, and I couldn’t do anything. I buried her in Gedaref.”
When the conflict reached Sennar, Ashraf was forced to make the difficult decision to leave. He needed to secure healthcare for his sick wife. In July, he left home with his wife and their four children, accompanied by his mother, brother, and sister-in-law.
The journey to Gedaref, mostly on foot, covered over 300km and spanned three days. As rain poured down, Ashraf had to carry his children on his shoulders while wading through streams of water.
Shortly after their arrival, Ashraf's wife passed away, leaving him alone to care for their four children.
"I couldn't do anything,” he says. “I buried her in Gadaref, and I was left with a heavy burden."
Life in the camp
After his wife's death, Ashraf and his family moved to Al Houri camp, where they found a community keen to help them. But accessing healthcare was extremely challenging. His sister-in-law suffers from anaemia and has three daughters who also require care. "The conditions in the camp are poor – we suffer from a lack of health services," says Ashraf.
"I want more healthcare,” he says, when asked what services he would like to see in the camp. “I am worried that my family's condition could worsen at any time and I won't be able to do anything, just like what happened to my wife."
Ashraf worked with a local organisation for five years. Now, however, he finds himself without a job, burdened with the responsibility of caring for four children and a family struggling with health conditions.
"The situation in the camp is somewhat good for now, but I am currently hosted in the emergency section and have not yet received a tent, meaning I still have not settled,” he says.
Recently, his sister-in-law began experiencing problems with her eyes, necessitating surgery. This news came like a thunderbolt, but hope has not yet faded.
Clinging onto hope
Ashraf heard about the Norwegian Refugee Council’s (NRC) cash support programme. The news came at just the right time. "This amount will help us a lot,” says Ashraf, smiling despite his distress. “We will use part of it for medical treatment and the rest for food and drink.”
"This is my first time participating in this programme, and I am very happy with it,” he adds. “We definitely need more, but thank God, the organisations in the camp are working well, and I can't say anything negative.”
Despite everything he has been through, Ashraf still holds onto hope. "We are waiting for the war to end so we can return immediately to our home in Sennar,” he concludes.
Support for families fleeing Sennar
More than 5,900 people who have been displaced from Sennar have received essential cash assistance through the European Union’s Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM).
This mechanism aims to provide immediate, life-saving humanitarian assistance to populations in the aftermath of a disaster- or conflict-induced shock or displacement in a timely, coordinated and principled manner. The Rapid Response Mechanism is funded by the European Union and is being implemented by NRC, Save the Children and the Danish Refugee Council.
Read more about the needs in Al Houri camp and the challenges faced by those who have fled from Sennar.
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