In Chad, Emergency Aid for Refugee Children Fleeing Sudan Conflict
After more than two years of civil war in Sudan, the number of Sudanese refugees and Chadian returnees seeking safety in eastern Chad has ballooned to over 975,000, creating a deepening humanitarian crisis. UNICEF is there, providing urgently needed assistance for children and their families. More help is needed.
Sudan's children are living through the world's largest displacement crisis
Since the surge of violence in Sudan in late April 2025, thousands of families have crossed the border into Chad on a daily basis, traumatized and burdened by the scars of war. Most are women and children, fleeing intense fighting in El Fasher, North Darfur.
Tiné, a Chadian border town, has become the main entry point for this flood of desperate souls — mothers carrying babies, exhausted and starving children, families clinging to hope amid devastation.
UNICEF is working to meet children's most pressing needs
UNICEF and its partners are on the ground in both Chad and in Sudan, responding swiftly by delivering lifesaving aid: safe water, child protection, emergency supplies and psychosocial support.
The scale of need is huge, and much more support is urgently needed to prevent further suffering.
With no safe place to shelter upon arrival, exhausted children and families huddle in the shade of trucks as they wait for transport to the transit site. Their faces reflect despair, uncertainty and the deep trauma of what they have endured.
In large groups, they are loaded onto massive trucks and transported to a transit site located about three miles away.
Mothers and children arrive with only what they can carry
Halimé and her two children, 2-year-old Asmao and 7-month-old Zackaria, began their journey on foot. Hours of walking under the unforgiving sun led them to join a group traveling by cart, eventually reaching Tiné. Their belongings? Just a mat and a few pieces of cloth, the only things they could carry.
Weary from their journey and trapped in desperate conditions, many children arrive with visible signs of malnutrition: hollow eyes, frail limbs and weakened bodies. With nothing to eat and nowhere safe to rest, their health deteriorates rapidly.
UNICEF child-friendly spaces offer children a safe place to play and receive services
At the heart of the transit site, UNICEF has set up a child-friendly space: a haven where children receive psychological support to overcome the trauma of war, while also having the chance to play and interact with their peers.
UNICEF-supported water points protect children's health and hygiene
Without safe water, displaced children are at heightened risk of disease. UNICEF and its partners have set up water points, but the demand remains high, and the needs are far from being met. Now more than ever, support is needed to continue providing lifesaving water and essential services to those who need it the most.
"Access to safe drinking water has brought us tremendous relief," says Nassi Younouss, a mother of two. "Now, we don't have to worry about waterborne diseases, and our children can drink and bathe without fear. It’s a huge comfort for all the families here."
The humanitarian crisis in eastern Chad continues to unfold, with families torn apart, children left vulnerable and entire communities struggling to survive. In support of the response to the refugee crisis led by the Chadian government, UNICEF is working to provide shelter, clean water, food, protection, access to education, dignified sanitation facilities, basic health care and proper nutrition. Support from donors can make a life-changing difference.
Right now, the lives of the most vulnerable children hang in the balance as conflicts and crises jeopardize the care and protection that they deserve. Dependable, uninterrupted and effective foreign aid is critical to the well-being of millions of children. Please contact your members of Congress and urge them to support ongoing U.S. investments in foreign assistance.
This story was adapted from UNICEF.org
HOW TO HELP
There are many ways to make a difference
War, famine, poverty, natural disasters — threats to the world's children keep coming. But UNICEF won't stop working to keep children healthy and safe.
UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories — more places than any other children's organization. UNICEF has the world's largest humanitarian warehouse and, when disaster strikes, can get supplies almost anywhere within 72 hours. Constantly innovating, always advocating for a better world for children, UNICEF works to ensure that every child can grow up healthy, educated, protected and respected.
Would you like to help give all children the opportunity to reach their full potential? There are many ways to get involved.
