Sudan's conflict forces millions of children out of school and into labor
The war that began in April 2023 has left about eight million Sudanese children without schooling, pushing many into street work and exposing them to heightened risks.
The armed clash that started in April 2023 has disrupted education for roughly eight million Sudanese children, according to UNICEF, with nearly half of school facilities no longer usable. In Darfur, about 80% of schools remain shut, and a 2026 drone strike destroyed over 330,000 textbooks in North Kordofan. Children such as nine-year-old Abkar Mohammed now clean shoes on Port Sudan's streets to support their families, while older youths like Mahmoud al-Ghali sell snacks to earn a few dollars a day. Officials and NGOs warn that prolonged school closures increase child marriage, sexual abuse, recruitment by armed groups and psychological trauma, especially for girls and the poorest households.
Why it matters
The loss of education threatens a whole generation's future and deepens Sudan's humanitarian crisis.
In this story
