Easing the Water Burden in Sudan
UNICEF-supported access to safe water is a game changer for families in Sudan's River Nile State, improving health, education and stability.
For many years, water determined every decision Ahmed and his family made. A nomadic herder in Sudan's River Nile State, Ahmed grew up constantly on the move, searching for water and pasture land to keep his family and animals alive. When he became a father, the pattern continued.
“We moved almost every month,” his wife Fatima said. “From one place to another, living through very difficult times.”
Every move came at a cost, especially for their children.
A childhood on the move
Without a reliable source of water, Ahmed’s children could never stay in one place long enough to learn. “My children couldn’t remain in school,” Ahmed said. “Their education was always disrupted.”
A year ago, the family settled in Aldamer locality, near the city of Atbara in northeastern Sudan, hoping to finally stay put. His children enrolled in school for the first time.
But as the dry season approached, water became scarce again. Without water nearby, the family faced an impossible choice: move once again and pull the children out of school — or stay and struggle.
The water burden falls disproportionately on women and girls
The responsibility of finding water fell mostly on Fatima and their older daughter, Amna.
“They left early in the morning and returned late,” Ahmed recalled. “All that effort, for just two containers of water. And it was never enough.”
Long walks, heavy containers and long lines became part of daily life. Hygiene suffered. Children fell sick with diarrhea. Amna tried to balance school with hours spent fetching water, affecting her learning and grades.
Tensions also grew within the community, as families competed for limited water supplies.
“Nomadic movement is about survival,” said Khadir Ismail, Director of the State Water Corporation in River Nile State. “But it also puts pressure on already scarce water resources wherever families settle.”
A new solarized water system installed with support from UNICEF delivers clean, safe water to more than 12,000 people daily
Aldamer, an urban center, faces severe water shortages, especially during summer, forcing many families to rely on unsafe and contaminated sources, including the Nile.
“I carried containers on my head. My children did too,” Fatima recalled. “The burden was too much.”
That changed when UNICEF, through its Enhancing Community Resilience Project (THABAT), installed a solar-powered, motorized borehole just behind Ahmed’s house.
The new water system now delivers clean, safe water daily to more than 12,000 people across 2,5000 households, serving one of the largest urban populations in the area.
For Ahmed and his family, water brought stability for the first time.
Learn more about how UNICEF supports children in Sudan
Reliable access to safe water changes everything
Today, water flows just a few steps from the family's home. Sitting in their clean, shaded compound, Fatima prepares coffee while her children play nearby. Bathing, cleaning, drinking and caring for their animals are no longer daily struggles.
“Water made our lives comfortable,” Ahmed said. “We can bathe, our homes are clean and our children are healthy.”
Water made our lives comfortable. We can bathe, our homes are clean and our children are healthy. — Ahmed, River Nile State, Sudan
The solar-powered system continues to function even amid power outages caused by attacks on infrastructure during the ongoing war, ensuring uninterrupted access to water.
As water reached more families, tensions eased. Host communities and nomadic families now share the resource peacefully, strengthening social cohesion.
From nomadic herder to water caretaker
Ahmed’s journey has come full circle.
Once forced to follow water wherever it existed, he is now part of a water user committee established to keep the system running. Every day, Ahmed helps clean the station, checks pipelines and supports families collecting water.
“The water is clean and free from disease,” he said.
Most importantly, it means his children can stay in school. “Now that we have water, I won’t move again,” Ahmed said. “I will focus on educating my children.”
Al Hassan, Amna and Adam now attend school regularly.
Related: Rebuilding Childhoods: Three Ways UNICEF Supports Children in Sudan
Water, dignity and protection
With clean water came dignity.
UNICEF also distributed WASH dignity kits to families in Aldamer, supporting health, hygiene and protection — especially for women and girls.
Fatima and her daughters smiled as they received their kits. “These supplies help families maintain hygiene and dignity, even in difficult circumstances,” said Khamisa Mohammed, UNICEF WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) Officer.
For Amna, the impact was deeply personal. “The sanitary pads are cleaner and more comfortable,” she said shyly. “They are better than using rags.”
Each kit includes soap, detergent, water containers, menstrual hygiene products, a flashlight, a whistle and other essential items, helping families stay healthy and safe.
Stability begins with water
Across River Nile State, UNICEF’s THABAT project is building sustainable water systems and delivering hygiene supplies — helping families affected by conflict and displacement rebuild their lives.
For Ahmed’s family, clean water means more than survival. It means health. It means education. And for the first time, it means staying in one place.
This story was adapted from unicef.org
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