From bubbly to withdrawn

At only four years old, Walaa has already been displaced three times, crossing four states in the 18 months since the war in Sudan began.

From Khartoum to South Kordofan, to Al Jazirah and now Kassala, her family has endured a grueling 1,500-kilometer journey in search of peace and safety. Through the horrendous displacement journey, they have witnessed intense bombardments, days of walking, nights spent on streets, and even weeks hiding in a forest. 

“We fled to the forest, unable to carry anything. We just held our children’s hands and ran,” recalled her mother, Intesar Hamed.

Yet, no matter where they sought refuge, the fighting followed. With every passing day, Walaa’s once bright and lively demeanor faded. Today, the vibrant and chatty girl her family remembers is withdrawn, hardly talks, and struggles to connect with other children. The trauma of relentless displacement and fear has left lasting scars- ones that may take a lifetime to health without immediate support. 

A war that stole her childhood 

Before the conflict began, Walaa was a happy child who thrived on daily interactions with her siblings. She was in good health, energetic, spoke a lot and spent most of her time playing- Traits that have now disappeared.

“Since the war started, she has fallen into a state of silence,” Intesar said. 

Clinging tightly to her mother and siblings, Walaa fears being left alone. If left alone, she remains frozen in the same spot, too frightened to move. Nights are particularly difficult, as she refuses to sleep without her mother by her side. 

“Sometimes she shivers, and her body turns cold,” Intesar shared, her voice heavy with concern. 

For months little Walaa has sadly lived with these silent but life changing consequences of conflict on children. For her, each day of displacement is another reminder of the traumatic experiences that she has gone through.

“When I walk away from her, I find her in the same spot upon return. It’s as though the life has drained out of her,” Intesar explained.

A glimmer of hope at a UNICEF safe space

Recently, a turning point came when UNICEF opened a child-friendly space at Alkarma gathering site, close to Walaa’s new home. Recognizing the opportunity, the family embraced the daily sessions and routine, quickly enrolling her.

Although Walaa attends eagerly, she mostly sits alone.  With colours in hand, she quietly draws lines and shapes, occasionally staring into space. Despite her reserved nature, the safe space provides her with a sense of safety and routine- critical first steps on her path to healing. 

At the centre of the journey is Amal Abdullah, a mental health specialist working with children and families affected by the conflict. Every day Amal interacts with over 20 children and mothers struggling to cope with the effects of the war in the gathering shelter. 

“I provide psychological support, sessions and guidance and referrals to the nearby UNICEF clinic for those that need treatment,” she mentioned.

At the child friendly space, where she conducts daily sessions, Amal identified Walaa and has since been part of her recovery journey. While the recovery journey remains steep, with the timely psychosocial support, Walaa is on the right path with small but significant changes already witnessed.

“Previously, she wouldn’t eat or drink much and didn’t express herself when she was hungry or needed to use the bathroom,” Amal shared. 

“Her family struggled to understand how to support her, so I involved them in the counseling sessions to equip them with the tools to help her heal.” 

Small steps, big strides

While Walaa’s recovery journey is steep, Amal remains optimistic. Small but significant progress is already visible. 

“She has started to draw recognizable shapes, express herself when hungry, and even say her name,” Amal said, noting the profound importance of timely psychological support in rebuilding a child’s sense of safety and normalcy.

Intesar, too, is cautiously hopeful: “The psychiatrist says she is improving. Today she told you, her name. It’s a good day- she’s talking.”

Like any parent, for Intesar, Walaa’s recovery seems far. She yearns to see the intense fear and trauma that has overwhelmed her child disappear. While this may take time, the psychiatrist remains hopeful especially with the small strides she and Walaa are making each day.  

The bigger picture 

Across Sudan, UNICEF has established child-friendly spaces where children like Walaa can receive psychosocial support from trained counsellors like Amal. These safe havens are crucial for helping children rebuild routines, process their trauma, and simply be children again. 

“There should be psychological support everywhere and, in every shelter,” Amal emphasized.

As Walaa continues her one-on-one sessions, she shows glimpse of her former self.  Recently, she drew an image, spoke to it and played with the toys-milestones that seemed unimaginable just weeks ago.

“She has improved compared to before,” Amal reflected. “Her responses are much better.” 

For Walaa and thousands like her, these small victories signify a light at the end of a long, dark tunnel.