Displaced Sudanese women caught up in war suffer wretched Ramadan
Al Jazeera
February 25, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
In Al-Sarraf camp, thousands of displaced Sudanese women are facing unimaginable hardship during Ramadan, a time traditionally marked by community and shared meals. After fleeing violence in North Darfur State, these women have found themselves in a dire situation, lacking basic necessities like food, medicine, and cooking utensils. Sanaa Ahmed, one of the displaced, described her family’s struggle: “We fled here with nothing. Now Ramadan has come, and we don’t even have a pot to cook in or a cup to drink from.” The camp, meant as a sanctuary, has instead become a site of deprivation, leaving families to rely on meager handouts that fall far short of their needs.
The suffering is compounded by the lack of healthcare and sanitary conditions. Many women reported cases of disease, including diabetes and hypertension, which go untreated due to a lack of medication and proper medical care. Mawaheb Ibrahim, a diabetic who lost her family during the violence, explained her desperation: “I am a diabetic, and my blood sugar has risen to 477… I’m just taking painkillers to sleep. I have no access to a doctor.” The camp’s卫生conditions are also deteriorating, with flies, unclean bathrooms, and limited hygiene supplies contributing to the spread of diseases like diarrhea and eye infections.
Despite some aid efforts, the primary need—food—is woefully inadequate. Majd Abdullah shared how her family was forced to rely on neighbors for their first meal during Ramadan after fasting all day without knowing what they would eat. The communal kitchen, meant to serve thousands, is described as insufficient, leaving families hungry and reliant on menial labor just to survive. Women like Sumaya Saleh are struggling to provide even basic comforts for their children, with one mother explaining, “The children ask for biscuits, and you don’t have the money to buy it for them.”
This crisis highlights the broader neglect of displaced populations in Sudan. The women of Al-Sarraf camp are not only survivors of war but are now caught in a slow-motion humanitarian disaster. Their plight underscores the urgent need for more comprehensive aid and international attention to address their dire conditions. For these women, survival is no longer just about escaping violence—it’s about enduring the daily grind of hunger, disease, and neglect in
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Originally published on Al Jazeera on 2/25/2026