News & Updates
Check out the latest from Sudan and our movement
Nuba Education Update - December 2024
Learn about one of the few education programs still serving Sudanese children and support our teachers.
Program Background
Operation Broken Silence is the only nonprofit in the world consistently supporting childhood education in Yida Refugee Camp, just south of Sudan’s historically-oppressed Nuba Mountains. We began funding four Sudanese teachers here in 2015 who were giving lessons underneath a tree with a half-broken chalkboard. Over the years and with your support, this determined effort has grown into the Endure Primary and Renewal Secondary Schools:
24 Nuba teachers and 6 support staff
838 students in total attendance - Endure Primary (380 boys/168 girls) and Renewal Secondary (174 boys/116 girls)
Over 11,000 children have been served to date between these two schools. Students at Endure Primary regularly have some of the top-performing standardized testing scores in the region. Renewal Secondary is the only fully-functioning high school in Yida.
Our teachers also oversee a national exam prep program for primary students in Yida, deliver a limited amount of supplies to a handful of other schools, and assist with teaching at the only other secondary school in the camp.
All of this is possible because of the resilience of the Nuba people partnered with the generosity of people like you. The teachers and students work hard every day with encouragement from local families and rely on funding we provide to continue doing so.
Map by Operation Broken Silence
Recent Updates
Endure Primary & Renewal Secondary. Life at the schools continues largely uninterrupted despite the war and famine in Sudan, as well as the massive education crisis from so many Sudanese schools being closed. Attendance rose throughout the year as new refugees from the Nuba Mountains to as far away as Khartoum arrived in Yida, ending with a high of 838 students by year’s end.
68 students at Endure Primary and 72 students at Renewal Secondary recently took their national exams, with results expected in late January. Last year we celebrated a record 43 of the 45 students pass the primary national exam. The teachers and students are hopeful for similar results this year.
Wall and roofing repairs are currently needed in 5 classrooms following seasonal rains. Most materials to do so, including tarps and roofing, are largely depleted after being pulled from storage over the past 18 months. With attendance rising the schools also need two more latrines built. We need to raise an additional $9,000 by the end of the year to get facilities ready for the new semester at the end of January.
Supplementary Education Support. Endure Primary School continues serving as a national exam preparation facility for primary students in Yida. This supplementary program positively impacted just over 200 additional students this exam cycle!
Vision Secondary, the only other high school in Yida, made it through another year with help from our teachers. The school was founded several years ago with pledges of support from outside nonprofits and churches, none of which materialized. The teachers at Vision are mostly untrained, so a handful of our teachers have been helping teach specific courses and provide general guidance.
Our Nuba education partner made four deliveries of limited supplies to Yida’s other schools this year, all of which operate with no consistent outside support. Shortages of chalk, paper, pencils and notebooks continue to disrupt the quality of education that can be provided in Yida. Our deliveries don’t meet anywhere near all the material needs, but they are critical to sustaining the fragile education system and preventing any further backsliding.
Amira’s Story
Amira’s family came to Yida a little over a year ago from the Nuba Mountains. She says:
“We came because the war has made life more expensive and hard. We were safe in our village; there was no fighting, but food was hard to find with so many people coming from other places seeking safety.”
Their family has fared better in Yida, although access to clean water is still difficult and food is not always readily available. But having a safe, better-resourced school to go to has made a big difference for Amira.
“I made friends here fast. The teachers are very good but we don’t have enough school supplies. We are thankful for what we have. Many schools in Sudan are closed because of war. Thank you.”
Amira’s family hopes to return to the Nuba Mountains when there is peace and better living conditions. Until then she comes to school every day, knowing it’s the best thing she can do right now.
How war is impacting life at the schools
20 months of devastating war between the army and Rapid Support Forces has decimated Sudan’s schools. Local officials estimate over 900,000 Sudanese have fled into the Nuba Mountains as war and famine have spread, placing significant strains on the fragile region. Sporadic fighting on the western and northern frontlines in Nuba throughout the year has further exacerbated needs.
Yida remains an oasis of calm, but this crisis casts a dark shadow as costs rise. Teachers and families are war-weary and frustrated that the world is still largely looking away from their country’s plight. For the schools though, funding remains the largest obstacle. Rapidly rising costs and a grueling international fundraising environment left them with only 60% of the funding they needed this year to provide a more holistic experience to students.
If violence does erupt on a larger scale or humanitarian conditions worsen further across the border, larger refugee flows into Yida will begin. More children will need to rely on our schools and the supplementary assistance we provide. Right now, we don’t have the resources to mount an adequate response for this scenario. Internationally-minded donors are still struggling to comprehend the massive humanitarian and education needs in Sudan, as major media outlets refuse to cover consistently the largest and most severe humanitarian emergency in the world. Our awareness efforts are bringing more attention and funding to bear, but not nearly enough to keep up.
Despite these challenges though, the work being done by these brave teachers and students continues on. Everything is more expensive and difficult than it was 20 months ago; but, with your help, the lives of children —Sudan’s future hope— can still be changed for the better. We invite you to join us in supporting these amazing people to that end.
The teachers in Yida we support are a small bulwark against the massive education crisis Sudanese teachers and kids face. With so many schools across the country closed and too few classrooms in refugee camps, our schools are more critical than ever. Your generosity can make the difference now and help the teachers prepare for whatever lies ahead.
$9,000: Cover the costs of all needed classroom repairs before the next semester.
$5,000: Fund an entire classroom at Endure Primary for an entire year.
$2,000: Support one teacher for an entire year.
$1,000: Support one teacher for an entire semester.
$500: Help deliver new chalkboards to classrooms.
$250: Provide pencils, notebooks and other supplies to 40 students.
$100: Give soccer balls and other sporting equipment to students.
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Checks can be made payable to Operation Broken Silence with Education written in the memo line and mailed to PO Box 770900 Memphis, TN 38177-0900.
Operation Broken Silence is a registered 501(c)(3) organization. Your donations are tax-deductible within the guidelines of U.S. law.
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Operation Broken Silence is the only nonprofit in the world consistently supporting childhood education in Yida Refugee Camp, just south of Sudan’s historically-oppressed Nuba Mountains. They rely on supporters like you to continue doing so. https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/nuba-education-update-december-2024
Rapidly rising costs and a grueling international fundraising environment left our schools in Yida with only 60% of the funding they needed this year to provide a more holistic experience to students. https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/nuba-education-update-december-2024
Sudan is home to the largest and most dangerous humanitarian emergency, far outpacing every other crisis in the world. The county is also home the largest children’s education crisis as most schools are closed. Here’s one way to help: https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/nuba-education-update-december-2024
Teachers in Yida are a small bulwark against the massive education crisis Sudanese kids face. Your generosity can make the difference now and help the teachers prepare for what lies ahead. https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/nuba-education-update-december-2024
Letter to Senator Rubio concerning making Sudan a priority in the next administration
Operation Broken Silence is joining 30 organizations in encouraging Senator Marco Rubio, the presumptive 72nd Secretary of State, to ensure Sudan is a top priority for the incoming U.S. administration.
Operation Broken Silence is joining 30 organizations in encouraging Senator Marco Rubio, the presumptive 72nd Secretary of State, to ensure Sudan is a top priority for the incoming Trump Administration’s foreign policy.
What does this mean and why does it matter?
Sudan is home to the largest and most dangerous humanitarian emergency, far outpacing every other crisis in the world. Since April 2023, fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has wreaked havoc on the Sudanese people. Mass atrocities, gross human rights violations, food insecurity, and climate-related disasters have forcibly displaced more than 11 million people from their homes. More than half the country is in desperate need of humanitarian assistance, with a handful of areas already experiencing famine.
In the aftermath of the 2019 revolution, Senator Rubio led a bipartisan resolution expressing support for the transition to a civilian-led government in Sudan. Over the course of 2024, the Biden Administration has made Sudan a higher priority, which has led to some improvements in humanitarian access and more serious efforts to secure a ceasefire.
Our hope is that if Senator Rubio is confirmed as Secretary of State, he will use his longstanding focus and experience with Sudan to make ending the war and reducing humanitarian needs a top priority in the administration. The United States must play its traditional role of international mobilizer when it comes to saving lives in Sudan.
Make Your Last Gift of 2024
This year in Sudan has been both challenging and inspiring. While the war has brought unprecedented suffering, we've also witnessed the incredible resilience and compassion of our Sudanese partners.
As 2024 comes to a close, we invite you to make one last gift to Sudanese teachers, aid workers, and healthcare professionals. Checks can be made payable to Operation Broken Silence and mailed to PO Box 770900 Memphis, TN 38177-0900.
Operation Broken Silence a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations are tax-deductible within the guidelines of U.S. law. Our EIN is 80-0671198.
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Operation Broken Silence is joining 30 organizations in encouraging Senator Marco Rubio, the presumptive 72nd Secretary of State, to ensure Sudan is a top priority for the incoming U.S. administration’s foreign policy: https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/letter-to-senator-rubio-concerning-making-sudan-a-priority-in-the-next-administration
Since April 2023, fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has wreaked havoc on the Sudanese people. https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/letter-to-senator-rubio-concerning-making-sudan-a-priority-in-the-next-administration
In the aftermath of the 2019 revolution, Senator Rubio led a bipartisan resolution expressing support for the transition to a civilian-led government in Sudan. https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/letter-to-senator-rubio-concerning-making-sudan-a-priority-in-the-next-administration
Sudan Crisis 2024 - What You Need To Know
This guide is for those who want to learn more about the war in Sudan.
This guide is for those trying to learn more about the emergency in Sudan. We regularly update this page with relevant information. The last update was December 3, 2024.
Please sign up for our email list to receive updates about Sudan. You can also discover ways to help below.
Background
Sudan is a beautiful country in northeast Africa, just south of Egypt on the coast of the Red Sea. The country sits at the crossroads of Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East. This is one of the more culturally and ethnically diverse countries in the world. Over 50 million people live here and it is the third largest country in Africa by area.
A brutal war broke out in Sudan in April 2023 between the national army and a renegade paramilitary force:
The Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) - the country’s official military that includes the army, air force, and navy.
The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) - a regional paramilitary group created by a previous military regime.
A variety of intelligence units, police forces, and local militias have taken sides in the conflict as well. The RSF also hires mercenaries from across the Sahel. Some of Sudan’s rebel groups from previous wars have taken sides, while others have remained neutral and are defending their own territory and people groups.
Today, the RSF controls almost all of western Sudan and parts of central Sudan including Khartoum. SAF controls the north and east of the country and parts of central Sudan. The past several weeks have seen mostly limited territorial gains by the army, including major incursions into the Greater Khartoum area. It appears neither side can achieve a decisive victory anytime soon. And it is the Sudanese people who are bearing the heaviest burdens.
Sudan is home to the largest and most dangerous humanitarian emergency, far outpacing every other crisis in the world.
Extreme violence has gutted the capital city of Khartoum. Countless towns and villages are being destroyed. Many farmers cannot work. The economy has disintegrated and prices of basic goods are skyrocketing. Most schools are closed.
But this war is not just between two armed groups; it is also a war on the Sudanese people. The RSF is targeting ethnic African minorities for extermination and SAF is blocking aid access to large swaths of the country. War crimes are being committed on a large-scale by both sides. The results are horrifying:
No one knows the true death toll, but a moderate estimate based on available data suggests more than 130,000 civilians have already perished from violence and hunger.
Over 26 million Sudanese —half of the entire country— are facing high levels of acute food insecurity. Over one million Sudanese are already trying to survive in famine conditions. For context, roughly half of all people in the world facing catastrophic hunger are Sudanese.
Nearly 15 million people have been forced to flee their homes or have left Sudan altogether. That’s roughly one in three of all Sudanese.
Over 70% of Sudan’s healthcare system has collapsed and preventable disease outbreaks are becoming common.
Over 19 million children no longer have a classroom to attend and roughly 90% of schools nationwide are closed, making Sudan the largest education crisis in the world.
Why are SAF and RSF fighting?
SAF and RSF used to be allies, but that changed after they overthrew a civilian reform government in October 2021. RSF commander Mohamed Dagalo (aka Hemeti) sees himself as Sudan’s rightful dictator, while SAF generals believe they are the true government. It’s worth noting that the vast majority of Sudanese want neither in charge of the country.
There are also significant ethnic dimensions in this war that cannot be ignored:
RSF- Top RSF commanders and most of their fighters hail from Arab tribes in the western Darfur region. Many RSF fighters adhere to an extremely racist, Arab-supremacist ideology. The belief system states that Darfur’s historic African tribal groups must be cleansed from the region and that all other Sudanese Arabs are inferior.
SAF - Top army brass are mostly Nile Valley Arabs, representing the most elite and privileged ethnic groups in the country. Unlike the RSF, the army is a fairly diverse force with soldiers from most parts of the country. Arab racism toward African tribes does exist in SAF, which explains why members of the force have executed civilians on an ethnic basis as well.
Gunfire between the two sides erupted in Khartoum on April 15, 2023. Both sides failed to decapitate each others’ leadership and extreme warfare quickly spread across the country.
Why isn’t Sudan in the news?
The crisis deserves the intense coverage that Israel/Gaza and Ukraine have received, especially considering the scale of human suffering eclipses both of those conflicts…combined. Sudan rarely gets coverage for multiple reasons:
1. The army and RSF have destroyed or cut cell networks and internet access in parts of the country, making it harder for ordinary Sudanese to get news out into the world.
2. The global diplomatic, humanitarian, and peacekeeping presence in Sudan has declined precipitously in previous years. There are few international eyes and ears on the ground who have the ability to get information out into the world at scale.
3. Western news agencies —American ones especially— have largely looked away following embassy evacuations from Khartoum in the early days of the war. Other international crises are treated as being more important for complex reasons, including how they affect U.S. politics, what drives clicks and revenue, the social media zeitgeist, and a general lack of interest in Africa.
There has been some solid reporting on Sudan in western media outlets, but rarely in a sustained way that keeps people informed and helps them become engaged. You can help raise awareness and funds for Sudanese heroes by joining our global event Miles For Sudan.
What are world leaders doing to stop the war?
Most world leaders have barely noticed the catastrophe unfolding in Sudan. The few diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire have failed. International aid efforts are only 60% funded for all of 2024, and the year is almost over. This means that acute hunger is being felt in the refugee camps outside of Sudan too —where it is much easier to get aid in— simply because there is not enough attention.
The United States recently launched the Aligned for Advancing Lifesaving and Peace in Sudan (ALPS) Group to coordinate global action and secure a ceasefire and full humanitarian access. The initiative has provided a small boost to humanitarian funding and opened very limited aid access, but nowhere near enough to match the scale of the emergency. Meanwhile, some countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Iran, and Russia are making the crisis worse by funneling weapons to one of the two sides.
Domestically, a coalition of Sudanese civilian groups led by former prime minister Abdalla Hamdok —who was overthrown in the 2021 coup— has emerged to serve as a credible alternative to SAF and RSF. Ordinary Sudanese across the country are trying to help their neighbors survive every day by running public kitchens for the hungry. The international community could and should be doing much more to support the Sudanese people directly, including throwing its full weight behind Sudanese citizen initiatives to pull their country back from the brink of failed statehood.
November 2024 Generosity
Our supporters gave $32,225 for Sudanese heroes, including aid workers, teachers, and healthcare professionals. This money is being used right now to save and change lives.
MEET OUR PARTNERS ➡
What can I do to help?
Operation Broken Silence is building a global movement to empower the Sudanese people through innovative programs as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. For over a decade, we've allied people just like you with incredible Sudanese heroes on the ground. Here are just a few ways your generosity can help these brave people save and change lives in the days ahead.
$1,000 - Fully funds one classroom at Endure Primary School in Yida Refugee Camp for half a semester.
$500 - Delivers food to Darfuri genocide survivors who have fled to South Sudan.
$250 - Provides a daily breakfast to 10 children for an entire month in Adré refugee camp, where many Darfuri genocide survivors now live.
$100 - Supports the monthly work of a sexual assault counselor in Zamzam displacement camp in North Darfur, Sudan.
$50 - Helps repair classrooms in Yida damaged by seasonal rains and provide for general maintenance.
Join Miles For Sudan | Donate Stock or Crypto
Checks can be made payable to Operation Broken Silence and mailed to PO Box 770900 Memphis, TN 38177-0900.
Operation Broken Silence is a registered 501(c)(3) organization. Our EIN is 80-0671198. Your donations are tax-deductible within the guidelines of U.S. law.
If you would like your gift to go to a specific partner, please drop us a message letting us know which one after donating.
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How is this not the biggest story in the world right now‽ https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/sudan-crisis-2024-what-you-need-to-know
It’s not in the news, but the world’s largest humanitarian emergency is unfolding in Sudan. I found this informative guide to be really helpful in understanding the situation: https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/sudan-crisis-2024-what-you-need-to-know
Sudan is home to the largest and most dangerous humanitarian emergency, far outpacing every other crisis in the world. https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/sudan-crisis-2024-what-you-need-to-know
Operation Broken Silence is building a global movement to empower the Sudanese people through innovative programs. For over a decade, we've allied people just like you with incredible Sudanese heroes on the ground. Will you join us? https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/sudan-crisis-2024-what-you-need-to-know
First major aid convoy reaches Zamzam Camp after months of famine
The first aid trucks that rolled into the camp were met with cheers from exhausted people, many of whom have been forced to eat crushed peanut shells and grass.
The World Food Programme (WFP) is finally surging operations across Sudan. The first aid convoy has arrived at Zamzam Displacement Camp in Darfur, one of the epicenters of Sudan’s spiraling famine. But the crisis is far from over.
•••••
19 months of war between the national army and a genocidal militia called the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has torn Sudan to shreds. This crisis became the largest humanitarian and displacement catastrophe in the world nearly a year ago, a fact largely being ignored by many world leaders and journalists. Khartoum already lies in ruins, as do countless towns and villages the war has blasted through or that the RSF has massacred. Multiple areas of Sudan descended into famine months ago.
Map: Location of El Fasher. (Operation Broken Silence)
Recent events in Zamzam and the nearby city of El Fasher in North Darfur shows just how dangerous this emergency has become. Home to an estimated two million people, the area has been under a brutal siege by the RSF for seven terrifying months. Famine was officially declared in Zamzam three months ago —catastrophic hunger actually began well before then— and no major aid convoys have reached the area until now. The result is that cemeteries and makeshift burial sites are expanding so rapidly they can be seen by satellites.
The traditional global aid structure has failed to meet the scale of this crisis head on for a myriad of reasons, the three biggest being a deplorable lack of funding, the army regime denying aid access, and the predictable collapse of law and order in RSF-controlled areas. Indeed, the problem most in control of the international system —merely funding the United Nations’ 2024 emergency response— is still neglected, with the aid effort only 60% funded for the entire year. And 2024 is almost over.
The world’s worst humanitarian catastrophe is not forgotten, it is being ignored. Ordinary Sudanese are still paying the price.
A flicker of light in the darkness
The WFP convoy that arrived in Zamzam is the first to appear since famine was confirmed in August. The combination of intense urban combat in nearby El Fasher, roads made impassable by seasonal rains, and the army denying aid access to large swaths of Darfur —which is mostly under control of the sadistic RSF— made delivering aid to Zamzam all but impossible.
The first aid trucks that rolled into Zamzam Displacement Camp on November 22 were met with cheers from exhausted people, many of whom have been forced to eat crushed peanut shells and grass. According to WFP, the convoy departed the Adré border crossing with Chad on November 9 and arrived on the 22, carrying 150 metric tons of aid for 12,500 people. A second, much larger convoy departed Port Sudan for Zamzam in the far east of the country on November 12 and carries 330 metric tons of aid for 27,400 people.
While this will have a positive impact on displaced Sudanese trying to survive in Zamzam, it is not nearly enough to turn the tide of famine in the area. The camp’s official population size before the siege of El Fasher was already over 500,000. Due to the extreme violence in El Fasher and other nearby areas, the Zamzam population has surged for months and may be closer to one million now.
This delivery, then, is akin to a band-aid on a gunshot wound, but it is hopefully the start of a more consistent flow of aid to preserve human life in this impossible environment. There is ample opportunity to continue saving lives here in partnership with local heroes.
You can help save lives in Zamzam
Team Zamzam is made up of 20 female counselors who are distributing food, sanitizing soap, and medicine to the disabled and blind, the elderly, unaccompanied children, widows who have taken in children, and those with severe acute malnutrition. They have also provided counseling services to over 4,000 women who were sexually assaulted and repaired 9 critical water wells. Thousands of people in Zamzam are alive today because of these brave women.
This month, Team Zamzam has fed 10,623 of the most vulnerable people. Another 252 families have benefited from the distribution of basic necessities, consisting of a food basket of flour, red lentils, and sugar.
The counselors need $20,000 per month to continue saving lives at this scale. Whether you can spare $10 or $1,000 doesn't matter; what matters is that we all do our part to support these brave women in this dark hour.
Checks can be made payable to Operation Broken Silence with Zamzam written in the memo line and mailed to PO Box 770900 Memphis, TN 38177-0900. You can also donate stock or crypto.
Operation Broken Silence is a registered 501(c)(3) organization. Our EIN is 80-0671198. Your donations are tax-deductible within the guidelines of U.S. law.
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The first aid convoy has arrived at Zamzam Displacement Camp in Darfur, one of the epicenters of Sudan’s spiraling famine. But the crisis is far from over. https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/first-major-aid-convoy-reaches-zamzam-camp-after-months-of-famine
The first aid trucks that rolled into Zamzam Displacement Camp in Sudan on November 22 were met with cheers from exhausted people, many of whom have been forced to eat crushed peanut shells and grass. https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/first-major-aid-convoy-reaches-zamzam-camp-after-months-of-famine
Famine was officially declared in Zamzam three months ago and no major aid convoys have reached the area until now. The result is that cemeteries and makeshift burial sites are expanding so rapidly they can be seen by satellites. https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/first-major-aid-convoy-reaches-zamzam-camp-after-months-of-famine
Adré Children’s Feeding Program and Clinic Update - November 2024
This once quiet town perched on the Chad-Sudan border is now the main hub for people escaping a genocide and famine that has given way to the worst humanitarian crisis in the world.
Program Background
Shortly after war began in Sudan in April 2023, Darfur became ground zero for some of the worst atrocities committed in modern history. The national army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces’ (RSF) battle against each other for control of Sudan morphed into the largely Arab RSF launching a hate-driven assault on Darfur’s historic ethnic African groups, such as the Zaghawa, Fur, and Masalit.
Map by Operation Broken Silence.
Between April and June of 2023 alone, the RSF and their allied Arab militias committed a highly organized genocide of up to 15,000 Masalit people in El Geneina, West Darfur. The brutal paramilitary force followed up this extermination with a shock offensive across Darfur in October, seizing all but one state capital and driving most army forces out of the region.
One of our private Sudanese partners assisted persecuted ethnic groups fleeing RSF war crimes during this period. They helped nearly 2,000 refugees escape the Central, South, and East provinces and cross into South Sudan. This lifesaving work ended in November 2023 when the RSF completed its occupation of most all of Darfur. We are proud of the brave team who worked around the clock at great personal risk to help some of the most vulnerable escape.
Since then, several areas of Darfur have descended into famine. Refugees coming into Chad —often with dangerously thin arms and thousand-yard stares— bring stories of witnessing extreme violence and loved ones dying of starvation. Darfur under RSF occupation has become a human rights and humanitarian nightmare. The ethnic cleansing of historic African tribes is ongoing. Rape and sexual violence are widespread. Unhinged RSF units are running out of markets, banks, farms, and storehouses to plunder.
Operation Broken Silence is now helping to provide emergency food and medical support for some of the most at-risk Darfur displaced and refugee communities. We are supporting key indigenous leaders in two areas:
Adré Refugee Camps in eastern Chad
Zamzam Displacement Camp near El Fasher, North Darfur.
We have some important updates from our partners in Adré below, as well as a brief overview of current conditions in the camps.
An Update From Dr. Douda
Many survivors of the Darfur genocide have made their way into Chad, the country which neighbors the western Darfur region (see our map, above). Sudanese doctor Abdelillah Douda, who is helping to oversee a small clinic and children’s feeding program in Adré, visited both at the end of October. Here is his report:
Much darkness and misery is experienced by Sudanese refugees who have fled into eastern Chad, especially in the huge Al-Malik camp adjacent to Adré. But refugees began helping their friends and families after the trouble and hardship of fleeing the hell of war in Darfur. This was the spark that lit the way for the magnificent work now being doing the For You children’s feeding center and clinic in Adré.
Photo: At the children’s feeding center in Adré.
Due to the poor healthcare in the camp, which is inhabited by a quarter of a million people —mostly women and children— a group of doctors, nurses, workers and administrators from Darfur have established a small clinic to provide medical services to the most needy. With modest financial assistance, these people were able to do a qualitative humanitarian work in the field of providing physical and psychological treatment to residents. In a short period of time, the clinic has become a treasured destination for patients due to the distinguished services it provides and the good treatment that patients receive from its volunteer workers.
To tell you the truth, when I visited this camp between October 26-31, 2024, we were amazed by this work. Coupled to the feeding center the clinic is fast becoming a small hospital. It consists of two rooms for administrators, two clinics for examination, a clinic for a specialist, a fully integrated examination laboratory, an ultrasound room, temporary wards for holding patients for a short period, a small mental health department, and a large pharmacy to provide free medicine to patients. 35 individuals now work here, including doctors, nurses, and other medical workers. They receive between 150-200 patients daily, and the feeding center receives between 600-700 children for breakfast every day. The clinic staff work from 7AM-5PM.
We met many patients during this visit, and they expressed their gratitude and thanks to everyone who contributed and worked to establish and maintain the clinic and feeding center. They wished that such work would be generalized in all the camps in eastern Chad. Some of the chronically ill patients who are being treated told me that if it weren’t for the children’s feeding center and clinic, many would have died from a lack of treatment.
Current conditions in the Adré camps
As of mid-November, an abysmal 29% of the $630.2 million the United Nations needs for Sudanese refugees in Chad in 2024 has been funded, and the year is almost over. This means that the international humanitarian response in the Adré camps continues to be severely limited, making the clinic and feeding center all the more important.
Well over 700,000 refugees have now fled into eastern Chad. The country has received more Sudanese this year than the previous 20 years combined. It’s estimated roughly 250,000 of the refugees are in the Adré area. While it is much safer here than RSF-controlled areas of Darfur, many of the refugees understandably feel vulnerable. RSF fighters are periodically spotted in eastern Chad, and some refugees have reported receiving death threats from the paramilitaries. Adré sits just a few miles inside Chad’s porous border with Sudan and, while the Chadian government has troops forward-deployed to provide protection, RSF fighters can still easily slip into the country.
Hunger is common in Adré, as are preventable diseases due to the lack of adequate clean water, latrines, and medicines. With the area now overwhelmed and tensions running high, authorities in Chad are pre-registering newly arriving Sudanese refugees at the border and relocating them to Dougui, which is further west. Recent air strikes in El Fasher, North Darfur and extreme famine and targeted RSF violence in West Darfur are still pushing more refugees into Chad, usually with intense medical and nutritional needs.
The clinic and feeding program need at least $8,500 per month to operate at current levels, and they can expand these services to meet more needs when more funding becomes available. Please consider joining us in helping these brave heroes serve their persecuted people.
Photo: Work at the clinic in Adré.
These heroes need your help
These refugee leaders are a small bulwark against spreading famine and disease. With the international community doing so little to fight this crisis, directly funding their efforts are all the more critical to fend off the most dire outcomes. Your one-time or monthly gift can save lives today and help them prepare for what lies ahead.
$8,500: fully fund the clinic and feeding program for an entire month!
$4,000: cover the children's feeding program for one month
$1,000: provide one week of all basic medicines needed
$500: feed 500 hungry children for one week
$250: help expand the children's feed program
$100: deliver nutritional supplements that help fight malnutrition
$50: deliver anti-malarial, typhus and other speciality medications
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Make checks payable to Operation Broken Silence with Adré in the memo line and mail to PO Box 770900 Memphis, TN 38177-0900.
Operation Broken Silence is a registered 501(c)(3) organization. Your donations are tax-deductible within the guidelines of U.S. law.
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Adré was once a quiet town perched on the border between Chad and Sudan. It is now the main hub for people escaping a genocide and famine that has given way to the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/adre-childrens-feeding-program-and-clinic-update-november-2024
It’s not in the news, but the world’s largest humanitarian emergency is unfolding in Sudan. Learn more and help: https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/adre-childrens-feeding-program-and-clinic-update-november-2024
The international humanitarian response in the Sudanese refugee camps at Adré continues to be severely underfunded, making this special clinic and feeding center all the more important. https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/adre-childrens-feeding-program-and-clinic-update-november-2024
Well over 700,000 refugees have now fled into eastern Chad. The country has received more Sudanese this year than the previous 20 years combined. https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/adre-childrens-feeding-program-and-clinic-update-november-2024
Preparing for the 2024 Giving Season
Discover key days and deadlines for 2024 end of year giving and donate early.
This year in Sudan has been both challenging and inspiring. While the war has brought unprecedented suffering, we've also witnessed firsthand the incredible resilience, courage, and compassion of our Sudanese partners. Thank you for standing with them this year.
We’ll be sharing recent program updates and our outlook for 2025 soon. In the meantime, you can find key days and deadlines for the 2024 Giving Season below. Operation Broken Silence is a registered 501(c)(3) organization. Your gift is tax-deductible within the guidelines of U.S. law, and it can make a real difference.
The 2024 Giving Season
November 11: Year-End Giving Begins
We encourage you to give early to avoid missing a deadline. This provides you more ease of mind and lightens the burden on us. If one of the reasons you are donating is for a tax deduction, now is the time to talk to your financial advisor.
December 3: Giving Tuesday
The global day of generosity is the perfect day to give!
December 30: Soft Deadline
Donor-advised funds, brokers, and exchanges need time to execute gifts, and checks must be dated and postmarked by December 31. We strongly advise you to donate no later than Monday, December 30 if you are giving by:
Mailing a check
Donor-advised fund (DAF)
Investment portfolio
Crypto wallet
December 31: Final Day To Give
Online gifts by debit or credit card must be submitted by 11:30PM.
Checks should be dropped in the mail by 5PM.
Stock gifts should be submitted at market open.
Crypto donations should be made as early as possible.
Give Now
Operation Broken Silence is building a global movement to empower the Sudanese people through innovative programs as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations are tax-deductible within the guidelines of U.S. law. Our EIN is 80-0671198.
Checks can be made payable to Operation Broken Silence and mailed to PO Box 770900 Memphis, TN 38177-0900.
Please note that gifts of stock and cryptocurrency are non-refundable.
With your generous support, we can help our Sudanese partners continue saving and change lives for the better. Thank you for being a part of our movement this year. Talk to you soon.
Onward,
Mark C. Hackett
Executive Director, obsilence.org
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Short statements you can share online and with others. Simply copy and paste.
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This nonprofit is near and dear to me. If you have a moment I encourage you to check out their website and pitch in whatever you can: https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/preparing-for-the-2024-giving-season
I just made my last donation of the year to Operation Broken Silence, one of the few nonprofits still working in Sudan. Will you join me? https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/preparing-for-the-2024-giving-season
Operation Broken Silence is building a global movement to empower the Sudanese people through innovative programs as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations are tax-deductible within the guidelines of U.S. law. https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/preparing-for-the-2024-giving-season