Danish Red Cross in Sudan

Did you know that by December 2024, Sudan is home to an astounding 874,493 migrants? Given the continued and imminent humanitarian challenges faced by migrants in Sudan, the Sudanese Red Crescent Society, through the European Union supported project PROTECT, is empowering migrants through provision of essential lifesaving support, creating linkages and access to health services, provision of protection and referrals as well as advocating with authorities and stakeholders for provision of services to the migrants through humanitarian diplomacy. This initiative, in partnership with the Danish Red Cross, addresses the urgent needs of migrants, affected by ongoing conflicts and crisis.  

Did you know that by December 2024, Sudan is home to an astounding 874,493 migrants? Given the continued and imminent humanitarian challenges faced by migrants in Sudan, the Sudanese Red Crescent Society, through the European Union supported project PROTECT, is empowering migrants through provision of essential lifesaving support, creating linkages and access to health services, provision of protection and referrals as well as advocating with authorities and stakeholders for provision of services to the migrants through humanitarian diplomacy. This initiative, in partnership with the Danish Red Cross, addresses the urgent needs of migrants, affected by ongoing conflicts and crisis.  

Zainab Tiya has travelled almost 1000km, mainly by foot, to get her 9 children away from conflict. After fleeing conflict in Wad Madani months ago, and being displaced several times along the route, they have settled in Dordieb in Red Sea State. Now, it is extremely difficult to make ends meet for the family. "One of my girls was in an accident, and now she needs medical care. My husband travels to Port Sudan [the nearest major city] for work. I want to buy food for my family, and so I can make falafel and ice cream to sell." Zainab and her family are part of the 97% of Sudan’s IDPs, who are living at severe levels of hunger, after more than a year of a half of conflict have plummeted Sudan into life-threatening food insecurity. The conflict has ravaged access to food by damaging crops and inflating food prices across the country. At the same time, active fighting and insecurity, and hiked fuel prices makes transport of food and in-kinds goods a tedious and sometimes impossible task. For this reason, cash assistance remains one of the key response modalities to reach people in need across Sudan. Cash transfers help keep families from being forced to adopt negative coping mechanisms to deal with hunger. And increased purchasing power of internally displaced persons and host communities can help strengthen jobs, markets, and farmers ability to continue producing. Sudanese Red Crescent Society (SRCS) is scaling up cash responses across the country, including in Red Sea State where SRCS is distributing cash with the support of Danish Red Cross. The cash comes at a much-needed time. Red Sea state has in the last year seen a massive influx of people displaced by conflict and hunger, at the same time as floods followed by cholera outbreaks have had severe impacts on both IDPs and host communities. Zainab is one of the recipients of the cash grants distributed by SRCS. “We will spend the money on my girl’s medical treatment and food for the family.” This cash distribution is part of a larger emergency response programme in Red Sea State. Danish Red Cross has allocated 3.5 million DKK to the response, reaching more than 1500 families with cash transfers.

As the conflict continues in Sudan, over 24.8 million people are in urgent need of basic services such as food, water, health, and shelter. By October 2024, 80% of hospitals in conflict-affected areas have become non-functional, with the remaining facilities overwhelmed by people seeking care. Despite International Humanitarian Law, healthcare continues to be a target, further exposing Sudan’s population to critical health threats, including malnutrition, infectious diseases, and mental health challenges. In response, the European Union-funded ‘PROTECT Phase II’ project, implemented by the Sudanese Red Crescent Society with support from the Danish Red Cross, is working to assist vulnerable communities, including migrants and internally displaced people, by improving access to healthcare and essential services. A recent Memorandum of Understanding between the Sudanese Red Crescent and the Ministry of Health ensures that migrants will now have equal access to healthcare alongside the general population. Under this partnership, four health facilities in Northern State, Red Sea, and River Nile will receive medical supplies for six months, ensuring continuity of care through emergency primary and specialized health services at Humanitarian Service Points. This initiative strengthens local health systems and contributes to a more resilient healthcare infrastructure that can endure the challenges of Sudan’s ongoing crisis, ensuring a healthier future for the most affected populations.

The MHPSS Framework Development Workshop for the Sudanese Red Crescent Society (SRCS), held from October 7-9, 2024, and facilitated by the Danish Red Cross, aimed to raise awareness about global MHPSS commitments while guiding SRCS in developing its own framework and roadmap. The workshop focused on assessing the current MHPSS interventions and needs in Sudan, as well as shaping SRCS's vision and priorities for short-, medium-, and long-term MHPSS actions. SRCS Secretary General, Madam Aida Elsayed, emphasized the critical importance of MHPSS during Sudan's ongoing crisis, which has displaced around 10 million people. The workshop was attended by Key SRCS leadership and resulted in the development of the SRCS MHPSS Framework and roadmap for 2025-2030. This framework aims to integrate MHPSS into all SRCS programs, safeguard staff, and volunteers, and support both advocacy and resource mobilization efforts.

In fragile context, the importance of first aid cannot be overstated. Immediate medical assistance is normally delayed or unavailable as is the case in most part of Sudan. To address this gap, Sudanese Red Crescent Society with the support of the EU funding, Danish Red Cross, and other Red Cross Red Crescent movement partners, is providing individuals including staff and volunteers with first aid skills which are aimed at providing lifesaving assistance and contribute to the recovery of people affected. During the training, the staff and volunteers are taken through practical sessions that equip them with knowledge on how to address common injuries such as wounds, fractures, or burns, stabilizing victims before professional help arrives. At community centres, both community members and volunteers are also equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to manage emergencies effectively. This approach not only eases the pressure on health care system but also fosters self-reliance, empowering communities to handle crisis independently. Ultimately, first aid saves lives.   

Last week, we visited a project supporting internally displaced people in Sudan together with Sudanese Red Crescent Society. A visit accompanied by Mr. Bjarne Andreasen, Head of Africa Region in Danish Red Cross, and our incoming Country Manager, Mr. Hector Palacios, who is taking over from Mr. Mohammed Jaufar. The visit was organized by Sudanese Red Crescent with leadership of Secretary General Madam Aida Sayed, Branch Director Red Sea Mr. Onuor Abuali, Migration Advisor Mr. Sami Adm and the staff and volunteers engaged in the project, which is funded by the European Union. One of the project sites we visited was the centre for internally displaced people Umalgura A, where 175 families now live after having escaped conflict affected areas such as Khartoum, Al Jazeera and Darfur. Together with the European Union and other partners, we are committed to support the people of Sudan especially at this hour and time, when the majority of the population are faced with unprecedented suffering due to the ongoing conflict. Severe food insecurity and malnutrition, strained health services, disrupted education systems for the children, inadequate shelter, insufficient water, sanitation, and hygiene services, and critical protection and security issues continue to ravage the country, necessitating immediate support from the global community. 

Cash Assistance through Emergency Response in Sudan The humanitarian needs in Sudan are immense. The Sudanese Red Crescent Society with support from the Danish Red Cross, is providing Multipurpose Cash Assistance and Psychosocial Support in Haiya, Red Sea State, Sudan. The Sudanese Red Crescent Society has engaged with communities and local leaders to gain insights into the needs and preferences for the intervention modality, ensuring that the cash assistance addresses the needs and priorities of internally displaced persons and the host community. While markets are generally functional in the Red Sea State, prices are extremely high, and affected populations have limited purchasing power. Nonetheless, most affected individuals consulted expressed a preference for cash assistance that they can spend according to their priorities and needs. With more than 600 households registered for cash assistance in Haiya, the first distribution will take place on the 17th of July, empowering households to meet their essential needs and promoting resilience and stability within the community. The Sudanese Red Crescent Society is ensuring that the assistance reaches those who need it the most. We are thankful for the continued dedication and hard work of our colleagues and volunteers at the Sudanese Red Crescent Society in making this project a success. Let’s keep up the great work as we move forward with our mission to support and uplift communities in need.

Cash Assistance through Emergency Response in Sudan The humanitarian needs in Sudan are immense. The Sudanese Red Crescent Society with support from the Danish Red Cross, is providing Multipurpose Cash Assistance and Psychosocial Support in Haiya, Red Sea State, Sudan. The Sudanese Red Crescent Society has engaged with communities and local leaders to gain insights into the needs and preferences for the intervention modality, ensuring that the cash assistance addresses the needs and priorities of internally displaced persons and the host community. While markets are generally functional in the Red Sea State, prices are extremely high, and affected populations have limited purchasing power. Nonetheless, most affected individuals consulted expressed a preference for cash assistance that they can spend according to their priorities and needs. With more than 600 households registered for cash assistance in Haiya, the first distribution will take place on the 17th of July, empowering households to meet their essential needs and promoting resilience and stability within the community. The Sudanese Red Crescent Society is ensuring that the assistance reaches those who need it the most. We are thankful for the continued dedication and hard work of our colleagues and volunteers at the Sudanese Red Crescent Society in making this project a success. Let’s keep up the great work as we move forward with our mission to support and uplift communities in need.

Want to learn more about migration and protecting people on the move? Please read this document https://bit.ly/45xcXrs. It was published by a consultancy firm engaged to evaluate the first phase of our migration project. The findings from this evaluation will inform the second phase, which began on April 1, 2024.