Americans must learn about modern humanitarian crisis

by Ameerah Gbadamosi

Sometimes there are problems that exist on the other side of the world that we don’t know about or pay much attention to. For example ,Sudan.

Sudan is facing one of the worst humanitarian crises in modern history due to the ongoing conflict happening between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the parliamentary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) plunges the nation deeper into turmoil.

The war, which started in April 2023, has devastated communities, displaced millions and worsened an already dire humanitarian crisis.

Even before the war erupted in 2023, Sudan was already experiencing a severe humanitarian crisis that left 15.8 million people in need of aid. Now over two years of war have drastically worsened the living conditions, displacing over 12 million people and leaving 30.4 million people, more than half of Sudan’s population in need of humanitarian support.

More than two years of the civil war going on in Sudan, the civilians are subject to frequent attacks and human right violation, while the country’s health care system has collapsed as life-threatening famine sets in. The attacks on humanitarian aid workers have made it difficult to deliver life saving  aid to some of the most fragile and vulnerable communities in the world.

The famine spreading around Sudan as violence hinders humanitarian’s ability to deliver food. Meanwhile soaring food prices and collapse of food supply left families starving.

Between December 2024 and May 2025, over 26.4 million are trapped in a health deteriorating food insecurity, over 630,000 people including in the country’s largest camp for displaced people are experiencing extreme famine conditions and a very high risk of death, the severe food shortage also leaves people vulnerable to illness and infection due to lack of essential nutrients.  

Children are among the most vulnerable to famine. An estimated 15 million boys and girls require humanitarian assistance in Sudan, nearly double the 7.8 million at the start of 2023. More than 2.9 million children in Sudan are acutely malnourished, and an additional 729,000 children under five suffer from severe acute malnutrition.

Despite the threats of the famine ongoing in Sudan, both the SAF and RSF are actively restricting aid delivery across Sudan. International organizations like the World Food Programme say they cannot access 90% of the people facing emergency levels of hunger in Sudan.

As if the famine and their suffering isn’t enough, there is an increased risk of sexual violence and an alarming rise of gender based violence against women and girls during times of armed conflict.

In war torn Sudan, rape is likely being used as a weapon of war, and in less than two years, the number of people at risk of gender-based violence has more than tripled. 

An estimate of 12.1 million people or 25 percent of the population are at risk of gender based violence with frontline responders and survivors reporting alarming rates of rape, abuse, coersion, and child marriage, trafficking, while survivors struggle to access support.

In Darfur alarming rates of sexual violence underscore the immense suffering endured in those dire situations, which reveals the exceptional vulnerability of women and girls that live there.

As of April 2025, nearly 13 million people living in Sudan have been forced to flee their homes in search of safety. 8 million have been internally displaced by the conflict in Sudan, 1 million refugees lived in Sudan prior to the current conflict-the second highest refugee population in Africa.   

The war and genocide in Sudan has not been talked about enough, with what they go through each day. People fear for their own lives because they never know when the war will end or what will happen to them. Women and little girls being raped, famine spreading everywhere, People fleeing their homes because of bombings.

What we can do to help the people living in Sudan is donate anything to a charity cause that helps Sudan, make videos or posts about what’s happening so others can know or donate.  

10 facts about Sudan

• Sudan is located in Northeast Africa sharing its border with seven countries.
• Sudan is home to more pyramids than Egypt.
• The capital of Sudan is Khartoum, with an estimated population of 9.3 million in the city.
• Arabic is the main language of Sudan.
• The majority of Sudan’s population is Muslim.
• Sudan hosts over 500 ethnic groups.
• Sudan was once home to the Kingdom of Kush, an African kingdom.
• Sudan was the largest country in size until 2011.
• There are over 100 indigenous languages spoken in Sudan.
• The Arab population makes up approximately 70% of the country.