In war-ravaged Sudan, thousands of children are struggling to rebuild their education after years of disruption caused by conflict, with many relying on makeshift schools in displacement camps to catch up on lost learning.
Thirteen-year-old Afrah is among them. Determined to become a surgeon, she refused to abandon her studies despite being displaced by the fighting between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
“I would study my lessons again and again,” she said from a camp in Port Sudan, Sudan, where she has resumed schooling through support from UNICEF and local group SCEFA.
According to UNICEF, more than 25 million minors—about half of Sudan’s population—have been affected by the conflict, with at least eight million currently out of school.
At the Al-Hishan displacement camp, tents arranged in a square serve as classrooms for over 1,000 children. Nearly a third of the students are enrolled in accelerated learning programmes designed to help them recover lost academic time.
Aid workers say many of the children arrived deeply traumatised, having experienced hunger, violence, and displacement. Early drawings by students often depicted scenes of war, including weapons and destruction, reflecting the experiences they endured while fleeing their homes.
“They come here scared, exhausted, isolated, but over time you see their drawings change,” said UNICEF spokesperson Mira Nasser. “They start to adapt and process.”
Despite the challenges, the camp now echoes with children’s laughter as lessons resume. In one classroom, pupils practice hygiene routines, while in another they recite poetry together. Teachers—many of whom are also displaced—work to restore a sense of normalcy.
“Education is itself a form of protection,” Nasser said. “Here, they can resume learning, play, and rebuild social connections, even in a displacement setting.”
As the conflict enters its third year, humanitarian groups warn that without sustained support, millions of Sudanese children risk long-term setbacks in education and development.
