A year away from home

“The children used to wake up early, filled with fearful anticipation of the imminent threat of the missiles. They would sit in their beds terrified of when a missile might strike,” said Yasser Bakry Abdelrahman, a 33-year-old father of five children.

In his modest apartment in Alexandria, Bakry reflects on his turbulent journey from Sudan to Egypt alongside his children and then pregnant wife. The decision to leave Sudan was difficult for Abdelrahman. “Seeking safety was the foremost concern when we arrived in Egypt,” explains Abdelrahman. “We were never safe in Sudan and lived in constant fear, and this is when we made the painful decision to go elsewhere.”

The distressing journey spanned over three days to go from Sudan to the Egyptian borders; they were forced to leave everything behind, everything they owned, only taking what they could carry. Once they arrived in Egypt, they sought refuge in the coastal city of Alexandria, where they observed their first Ramadan away from their home in Sudan.

Over a year has passed since the outbreak of the war in Sudan on April 15, 2023, which has jeopardized the health and well-being of the country’s 24 million children. Despite these challenges, Abdelrahman has prioritized his children's education and health, enrolling them in nearby schools and ensuring they have access to medical care.

The children miss their homeland, longing for the day they can return to the safety of their own rooms in Sudan.