Sudan: Students displaced by war keep pursuing education amid ongoing conflict

What happened

UN News Africa Sudan reports that despite being displaced multiple times by the war in Sudan, hundreds of refugee and internally displaced students have managed to keep pursuing higher education through scholarships funded by the UNHCR–Mastercard Foundation partnership. One beneficiary, Eritrean refugee Sarah Tekhlu, who was displaced from Khartoum to Madani and then to Port Sudan, credits the scholarship with enabling her to continue studying information management at Comboni College in Khartoum and regain hope in her future.

Outside Brief is treating this as a source-led account. Any disputed responsibility, casualty figure, battlefield claim or single-source assertion should be treated as unconfirmed/hearsay unless confirmed by another reliable source or a named official. The conflict, which erupted between rival militaries in April 2023, has forced over 14 million people to flee their homes, constituting the world’s largest displacement crisis. For displaced students like Azhari Ibrahim, forced from North Darfur to Port Sudan, the scholarships provide not only tuition coverage but also crucial psychological and community support. Azhari describes the programme as vital because it helps students feel less isolated during the turmoil.

The DAFI programme, run with Windle Trust International, offers more than financial aid: students receive mentoring, leadership training, and peer networking opportunities. These elements help build resilience and encourage beneficiaries to become advocates themselves, assisting others with scholarship applications and university admissions.

Known from the source

• Since April 2023, Sudan’s conflict has displaced over 14 million people.
• The UNHCR–Mastercard Foundation partnership supports refugee and internally displaced students with scholarships under the DAFI programme.
• Scholarships cover tuition and living costs, and provide psychological and community support.
• Sarah Tekhlu and Azhari Ibrahim are displaced students benefiting from the programme.
• Sarah is studying information management at Comboni College in Khartoum.

What remains unclear

Both Sarah and Azhari emphasize education’s broader importance for Sudan’s future recovery. Sarah works as a kindergarten teacher while studying and aspires to open her own school to support children, while Azhari aims to apply his civil engineering skills to reconstruction efforts in war-damaged communities. They also concur that lasting peace is essential: without it, rebuilding Sudan will remain impossible.

What remains unclear: Confirm whether the central claim is corroborated; until then treat it as unconfirmed/hearsay. Current number of students supported by the scholarship programme in Sudan. Independent verification of the programme’s ongoing operation amid conflict. Updates on humanitarian access to educational institutions in conflict-affected areas.

Evidence note

Outside Brief has kept this brief source-led and attributed. Claims should be read alongside the original source linked below.

Original source: UN News Africa Sudan. Open the source.