Innocence under siege

The war in Sudan has caused untold suffering on the country’s children. Displacement, interrupted schooling, loss of friends and family, destruction of safe spaces, separation from loved ones, relentless bombings, and deprivation of basic needs are all taking a severe toll on their mental health and wellbeing. 

At only 5 years old, Dania has already been displaced twice from Khartoum and Al Jazira states and has witnessed far more than any child her age should.  

Tragically, she is just one of millions of children enduring the impact of the gruesome ongoing war in Sudan, now in its second year. 

In Khartoum, Dania and her siblings sought shelter under buildings and beds when bombings intensified. The explosions were so loud that now any sudden noise sends her into panic.  

“When someone closes the door forcefully, I immediately feel terrified because it reminds me of the sound of bombs,” she explains.  

After moving to Sennar, a few kilometres from Al Jazira , Dania struggled to cope, still hearing the bombings, that drove her to escape further with her extended family, leaving her mother and brothers behind.  

Although she is now safe in Kassala, Dania is emotionally scarred. She can no longer sleep with the lights off. Frequent power cuts at the school where she and her extended family have sought refuge make her nights even longer as she battles with the darkness.  

“Mama tells me to sleep inside but I don't feel comfortable, I want to sleep outside,” she says.  But even sleeping outside is fraught with challenges: “If I look at the sky, I see missiles and smoke rising behind them,” Dania recounts.  

Even when she manages to fall asleep, the trauma lingers.

“When I sleep, I remember the sound of bombs, and I wake up frightened.” 

Children exposed to conflict face severe emotional stress, which can result in lifelong mental health and psychosocial issues. Failing to address these needs could have lifelong consequences. 

UNICEF responds

Through its partners, UNICEF is prioritizing mental and psychosocial support for children affected by the conflict. At child-friendly spaces set up with UNICEF support, children have access to specialized sessions with trained social workers.  

The school where Dania now lives, is also a child friendly space. Here, children, including Dania, engage in various activities that help them cope with their new reality, and heal from past traumatic experiences. They are also involved in club activities that equip them with life skills and support necessary to navigate the complex situation they face. 

As Dania and her peers continue to benefit from the mental health and psychosocial support provided, she remains hopeful that one day she will return home and enjoy the peace and quiet she once knew with her siblings.  

“I want to go back to Khartoum and find our belongings at home. I hope our house will still be beautiful and our belongings will be there,” she says.  

While UNICEF and its partners are intervening with mental health and psychosocial support, it will take years for Dania and millions of other children to recover from the war’s impact on their young lives.  

In every war, the ones who suffer the most are children. This is tragically true today.