Eight Million Sudanese Children Out of School as Civil War Reaches Three Years
Sudan's ongoing civil war has left 8 million children without education, according to UNICEF. A 13-year-old girl named Afrah, who lost her right arm in the conflict, continues her studies in a Port Sudan displacement camp. She aims to become a surgeon despite the upheaval from the three-year fight between the army and paramilitary forces.
citizen.co.zaPORT SUDAN, Sudan — Eight million children in Sudan are currently out of school, according to UNICEF, as the civil war between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces reaches its three-year mark on May 4, 2026. A Sudanese girl who lost her right arm due to injuries sustained in the civil war left an elementary school run by the Sudanese Coalition for Education in partnership with UNICEF in the south of Port Sudan on April 26, 2026.
Afrah, a 13-year-old Sudanese girl living in a displacement camp in Port Sudan, wants to become a surgeon.
She was uprooted by the three-year conflict between Sudan’s army and the Rapid Support Forces. Quiet and determined, Afrah kept learning on her own for months during the conflict. “I would study my lessons again and again,” she said at a displacement camp in Port Sudan.
Afrah is receiving an education at the displacement camp in Port Sudan thanks to UNICEF and local organisation SCEFA. Japan Times reported these details from the site, highlighting her resolve amid the broader educational crisis.
Key Facts
Story Timeline
3 events- 2026-05-04
Sudan's civil war between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces reaches three years.
1 sourceJapan Times - 2026-04-26
A Sudanese girl who lost her right arm due to civil war injuries leaves an elementary school run by the Sudanese Coalition for Education in partnership with UNICEF in south Port Sudan.
1 sourceJapan Times - 2023-05-04
Sudan's civil war between the army and Rapid Support Forces begins, leading to ongoing displacement and educational disruptions.
1 sourceJapan Times
Potential Impact
- 01
Continued educational disruptions could lead to long-term skill gaps in Sudan's youth population.
- 02
Displacement camps may see increased demand for UNICEF-supported schools as the war persists.
- 03
Stories like Afrah's could boost international aid for Sudanese education programs.
Transparency Panel
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