Sudan: One year after the fall of El Fasher, a generation’s dreams remain on hold

The fall of El Fasher in October 2025 followed a brutal 18-month siege that left civilians trapped without adequate access to food, healthcare and humanitarian assistance. Earlier this year, theUN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for Sudanconcluded that atrocities committed during the takeover of El Fasher bore the “hallmarks of genocide”, documenting ethnically targeted killings, widespread sexual violence and other grave violations.

Today, more than half a million displaced people are living in and around Tawila, and Dar Es Salam where severe shortages of food, clean water, shelter, education and protection services continue to put lives at risk. Displacement has not stopped. More than 3,400 newly displaced people arrived in Tawila in September 2026 alone, placing even greater pressure on communities and already overstretched services.

Recent testimonies shared with Plan International staff have also highlighted serious child protection concerns, including gender-based violence, child labour and child marriage as families struggle to survive prolonged displacement.

One year on, the consequences continue to reverberate through the lives of children and young people who were forced to flee their homes.

For 15-year-old Amira now living in Tawila, displacement has meant the loss of life as she knew it. “I miss El Fasher. I miss the freedom we used to have there. Before the war, we were living a very beautiful life. There were gatherings with friends, schools and many wonderful things.”

“We used to go to school together, play, and laugh together. But now we are here in the camp. We don’t have schools or anywhere to go. We don’t even know where our old friends are anymore. We are just surrounded by new people,” 18-year-old Aida told us.

Like Amira and Aida, many children displaced from El Fasher have spent the past year without access to consistent education and basic needs.

For older adolescents and young people whose education was interrupted, the consequences continue to grow. “I was studying at the Faculty of Education before the war came and stopped everything. Now, I haven’t continued university nor done anything. I am just sitting at home,” Amira told Plan International.

The education crisis remains one of the conflict’s most enduring legacies. More than 8 million school-age children across Sudan are currently out of school. In the broader Darfur region alone,UNICEFestimates that 81% of schools remain closed and 70% of children are not attending classes. Children who are out of school face heightened risks of child marriage, exploitation, abuse and recruitment by armed groups.

Adolescent girls have been especially affected, with some forced into early marriage and motherhood, abandoning their education and future aspirations. Reports of pregnancies resulting from sexual violence highlight the severe protection risks girls face, alongside psychological trauma, stigma, social isolation and the overwhelming responsibility of motherhood while still children themselves. This over and above limited access to the support and services they need to recover and rebuild their lives.

Mohamed Kamal, Country Director for Plan International Sudan, said: “The headlines may have moved on from El Fasher, but children and families are still living with the consequences every day. What happened in El Fasher was not simply another displacement crisis but repeated attacks on civilians that have shattered lives, communities and futures.

Children have lost family members and friends, their homes, their education and their sense of safety. One year later, they remain displaced, uncertain about their future, and cut off from opportunities that should be every child’s right.

The international community cannot allow this crisis to fade from view. Children in Sudan need protection, education, psychosocial support and the chance to rebuild their lives and realise their ambitions.

Sudan continues to face relentless violence. Recent reports of attacks that killed hundreds of people are a stark reminder that the risks facing civilians have not diminished. Across Darfur and other parts of the country, families continue to face displacement, insecurity and grave protection risks. The same failures that left civilians exposed in El Fasher continue to place lives at risk today.

Humanitarian organisations also continue to face significant challenges in reaching affected communities, while funding shortfalls further limit the scale of assistance available.

“Survival alone is not enough,” added Mohamed Kamal.

“Children need opportunities to learn, recover and plan for their future. We urgently need greater international action to protect civilians, secure humanitarian access and invest in the services that will help children and young people rebuild their lives. If we fail to act, an entire generation risks paying the price of this conflict for years to come.”

Based on reporting by RELIEFWEB