Providing Hope through Financial Support: A mother’s arduous journey to safety

Fleeing Khartoum:  

I left Khartoum with my children in September 2023 when schools, the market, health facilities, and several houses in the neighbourhood were closed and occupied by armed groups. 

The decision to leave amidst continuous bomb-shelling and airstrikes was difficult, but I didn’t have any other options. Normally, the journey from Khartoum to Damazine by bus takes around 10 hours but it took us three days to reach the capital of the Blue Nile region, which borders Ethiopia and South Sudan. I spent all my savings on securing a vehicle to travel  from Khartoum. We could only carry a few clothes.  

The Dangerous Journey:  

 From Khartoum to Madani, we were stopped at several checkpoints. We were repeatedly ordered to get out of the car. We had to show our identity cards and we were sometimes relentlessly interrogated about where we were coming from and where we were headed to. I still remember spending the night in the open upon arriving in Madani.  

The journey from Madani to Damazine through Sennar was slow but safer there was no conflict in these areas then. In Damazine, we were received by generous relatives who sheltered us. 

Finding Relief and Support:  

Although we still face an uncertain future,  I’m happy that my children are relatively safe now. The financial support I have  received from World Vision has been timely and I am grateful to know that this aid will continue for three months. I am planning to save part of my income for emergencies such as illness.  

 At times I wonder how my children’s future will unfold amid these challenges. In Khartoum, we had access to appropriate health services under medical insurance. Now, I am confronted by the high cost of medical care. Recently my one-year-old daughter Unab, suffered from malaria. Luckily, I managed to get her treatment with the help of my relatives' support. My elder son, who is nine years old, had finished second grade before the conflict erupted. He is supposed to be in third grade now, but it seems the school year will be suspended as long as the conflict continues. 

Rughia’s story is a testament to the resilience and strength of displaced individuals. World Vision’s financial support has provided her with a lifeline, enabling her to ensure her children’s safety and meet their basic needs during these turbulent times. Rughia is one among thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Khartoum affected by Sudan’s current conflict who received Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance (MPCA) through the Blue Nile Humanitarian Assistance Project funded by USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA).