Finally safe – vulnerable children are rescued from Mygoma orphanage
“Every moment counted. It is only with the efforts of all the medical teams and volunteers, that we kept children alive overnight,” UNICEF Officer
For more than 50 days and nights over 200 children were trapped in the middle of crossfire in Sudan.
Vulnerable and with most under the age of 2, the children remained in the hands of the courageous but committed caretakers. Working day and night, they fed and nurtured these children through the crisis. Pushing through the tough times and long days characterized by explosions.
Together with a few medical personnel, they endured the conflict to support the vulnerable children while UNICEF and partners provided critical support.
A glimmer of hope
On 7 June, the vulnerable boys and girls were successfully evacuated and transported to Madani located about 200 kms from Khartoum. Via a hectic and long four-hour drive, the teams arrived safely.
The mission led by the line ministries of Social Welfare and Health was supported by UNICEF and other partners and today the children are safely housed in a newly refurbished transit centre as they await placement with foster families in the communities.
It was all hands-on deck at the transition centre when the children arrived.
Carrying the children from the buses, the UNICEF team together with volunteers and partners welcomed and received the children - swinging into action and working around the clock to ensure all children were safe and stable.
"It is hard to comprehend how the ongoing conflict affected these little boys and girls. For over 50 days, these children together with a few caretakers struggled to survive with limited access to basic services."
This is a moment of triumph of humanity and kindness over the devastation of conflict," UNICEF's Narine Aslanyan shared.
For long hours, medical and nutrition experts assessed and screened the children upon arrival and immediate referrals done for those in critical condition. UNICEF's Health Officer, Mutwali Adam Mohammed (right) was among them.
"It took us weeks to prepare for the movement of children from Mygoma to Medani transit centre. I was informed that there were 46 critical children arriving on the buses. I organized health teams to be on standby to manage the emergency cases and referrals."
"However, none of us could conceal the shock when we saw the children. We worked so hard and all of them are stabilized now,"
“When the babies arrived, saving their lives was imperative. Every moment counted. It is only with the efforts of all the medical teams and volunteers, that we kept children alive overnight,” Mohamed Almugtba Khider, UNICEF’s health and nutrition officer (left).
Mohammed Elamin, UNICEF’s nutrition officer led the team that assessed the nutrition status of the children. One by one he measured their weight and height on the UNICEF provided boards as their details were noted down.
And occasionally he found time to have a ‘hi five’ with children.
The ever-diligent caretakers were on standby to feed the children after a long journey that left many exhausted and hungry and later put them to sleep and this time through a quiet night.
UNICEF supported the children’s feeding, psycho-social stimulation, play and educational activities.
On day 2, as the children settled down, UNICEF’s Child Protection Manager, Osman AbuFatima couldn’t resist engaging in a light moment with the older children but the memory of the first day when they arrived continued to linger on.
"Yesterday was one of the most difficult days of my professional life. The scale of the operation and vulnerability of children linked to their health and nutrition status and the danger to their life was too much for anyone to handle," Osman shared.
As they enjoy the new transit centre, the older children cannot wait to play and just be children again.
And for the UNICEF team was there before and after the children arrived. Working tirelessly to ensure the children not only arrived safely but settled in comfortably as arrangements with relevant authorities on identifying foster families for the children continue.
