Sudan's Lost Children

Ihssan’s Role as Sister, Provider, and Survivor

At just 15 years old, Ihssan has faced hardships most could not imagine. Fleeing her home in El Geneina, a city engulfed by conflict, she embarked on a dangerous journey to Chad.

Life in El Geneina became untenable for Ihssan and her family. “Many people were killed, so we left to avoid being killed,” she explains. Food and water had grown scarce, and there was no money to sustain them. “Life became very difficult,” she said. The decision to leave was not just a matter of survival—it was a desperate attempt to escape a worsening crisis.

The journey itself was treacherous. Despite traveling mostly at night to avoid armed groups, Ihssan and her family were attacked. “They took everything—our mats, money, and blankets. We had nothing except the clothes we were wearing,” she recounted. For two days, they endured hunger and fear, each step uncertain.

Ihssan’s father could not join them, as men were especially vulnerable during the conflict. “If they find any man, he will be threatened and killed,” she said. After reaching Chad, her mother returned to Sudan to mourn the loss of a relative and never returned.

Now living in Milé refugee camp, Ihssan and her siblings share a small, makeshift shelter built from mud and sticks, covered by a tarp provided by an aid organization. The shelter offers little protection, and they have nothing inside—no furniture, no bedding. Each night, they sleep on the dirt floor, huddled together, alone without their parents.

For a year now, Ihssan has taken on the role of caregiver for her siblings, a responsibility she finds overwhelming. “It is very difficult to care for my brother and sister with the lack of money,” she said. The financial support they receive comes infrequently due to budget cuts most humanitarian organizations face, leaving her to choose between feeding her siblings and meeting other essential needs.

Magbola and World Vision’s Work with Unaccompanied Children

For nearly two decades, Magbola has lived as a refugee in Chad’s Mila camp after fleeing the civil conflict in Sudan in 2004. Despite her own hardships, she has taken on an extraordinary role—caring for unaccompanied children like Ihssan who have escaped the most recent conflict.

“When I heard about the program to help children find host families, I knew I had to be part of it,” Magbola shares. “These children have suffered enough, and I wanted to make a difference in their lives.”

Magbola works as an instructor in a World Vision program dedicated to addressing the immediate and emotional needs of unaccompanied minors. The program strives to reunite children with their families or place them with refugee host families within the camps. Each day begins with visits to children throughout the camp. “Every morning, I ask them how they are and what challenges they’re facing. We guide them to the center, register them, and ensure their needs are addressed,” she explained.

In Mila camp alone, 311 unaccompanied children have been registered by Magbola, many of whom have survived perilous journeys and devastating loss. “Some children fled after their parents were killed. Others escaped with neighbors or strangers who could not continue to care for them,” Magbola recounts.

The program aims not only to provide basic necessities but also to restore a sense of hope. “We try to chat with them and sympathize with their pain. We don’t ask direct questions about their trauma; instead, we create a safe space for them to open up,” Magbola said. Children are also given toys and bicycles to infuse moments of joy into their challenging lives.

Yet the challenges remain immense. Many children lack proper shelter, clothes, and sufficient food. “Some live under trees or in unsafe, destroyed houses,” Magbola shares. “We need larger centers and enough food to keep them nourished. These children’s lives depend on these improvements.”

The journey to safety is often harrowing, with refugees walking for days, evading armed groups, and arriving with nothing. “Many children come here with nothing,” Magbola said. “The organization provides blankets, clothes, and shoes, but it’s not always enough.”

For Magbola, however, the work is deeply personal. “These children are like my own. Seeing them smile or feeling their trust is the greatest reward,” she said.

Her story underscores the urgent need for global support. “We are doing all we can, but we need more help from organizations and the international community. These children deserve a chance at life—a chance to heal, grow, and dream again,” she concluded.

A Plea to the World

The escalating crisis in Chad’s refugee camps is compounded by a lack of funding for humanitarian organizations, worsened by global competition for resources amid multiple simultaneous emergencies. Despite the critical need for assistance, funding gaps have left aid groups struggling to meet the basic needs of children.

“Our ability to respond to the urgent needs of children in Chad’s refugee camps is being stretched to the breaking point,” says Edouard Ngoy, National Director of World Vision Chad. “With competing crises worldwide, humanitarian organizations are only 20% funded, leaving children without the food, shelter, and support they desperately need. We are calling on the global community to not forget these children—they deserve more than survival; they deserve hope and a future.”

Amid the devastation, children like Ihssan persist. Despite responsibilities beyond her years, she dreams of returning to school and reclaiming the life stolen by conflict. “I miss school, my relatives, and the life we had before the war,” she shares. “But I have to be strong for my brother and sister.”

Caregivers like Sidiq also exemplify this shared humanity. “How can we turn them away?” he asks. “These children have no one. If we don’t care for them, who will?”

Every unaccompanied child bears a story of unimaginable loss and resilience—a powerful call for global action, compassion, and support. These children deserve more than survival; they deserve the chance to thrive. Let’s stand with them.