Noubjinar, a beacon of hope for children !

The waiting room of the Tiné health center is teeming with patients, their faces etched with worry and exhaustion. Mothers cradle crying children and their anxiety is palpable. For the dedicated staff at the health center, this scene has become a daily reality.

Located in the Wadi Fira province, near the Sudanese border, the Tiné health center is a lifeline for the local community and more than 16,000 refugees who have fled the conflict in Sudan.

Among the heroes of this effort is Noubjinar Nangar, a 37-year-old community health worker. As part of a team of ten health agents trained by UNICEF, she is on the frontlines of addressing urgent health challenges in the region. These include severe acute malnutrition in children, childhood diseases, neonatal infections, and gender-based violence.

Before receiving her training, Noubjinar often felt helpless in the face of such immense need.

"It was heartbreaking to see so many children suffering and frustrating not being able to help them,” she recalls.

Now, with her newly acquired skills, Noubjinar is saving lives. She provides care to children battling severe malnutrition, assists pregnant women with complications, and treats young patients suffering from severe malaria.

These training sessions have not only enhanced Noubjinar’s professional skills but also transformed her sense of self.

"I feel more confident in my work,"

Each treatment she provides is a lifeline, offering children a chance at survival despite the immense challenges they face.

Issaka Hassan Abdallah, the manager of the health center, beams with pride at the progress achieved.

"The new skills that Noubjinar and her colleagues have acquired have significantly enhanced our services"

he says. Yet, he stresses that the journey is far from over. To sustain this momentum, he highlights the need for continued training and the establishment of a therapeutic nutrition unit to address the most severe cases of malnutrition.

In a region grappling with severe health challenges, Noubjinar and her team represent a beacon of hope. Their unwavering dedication highlights the vital need to empower health workers, especially in the most remote and underserved areas.

With funding from the Swiss government and partnership with World Vision, UNICEF has trained ten health workers at the Tiné and Baména health centers in Wadi Fira and Sila provinces. This training has significantly improved care for children suffering from severe acute malnutrition and strengthened the response to urgent health needs within local communities.