Sudan (Nuba Mountains)

Together with some Arab pastoralist tribes, they face the cultural challenge of living on the geographical fault line between the largely Arab and Islamic north of Sudan and the predominantly Christian, animist, black African south.

The region has experienced repeated conflicts in the past, particularly during the civil wars in Sudan. Death, displacement and traumatic experiences for the survivors were the consequences. The Nuba Mountains have not been a focal point in the current conflict that has been raging in Sudan since 2023. However, the security situation in Kordofan appears increasingly fragile.

Life in the Nuba Mountains is very simple and hard. Clean water, a precious commodity, is the linchpin of life. There are few roads. The people are desperately poor, and to reach other places, they walk for days. They live off what they find in nature and from simple farming (mainly sorghum). Occasionally they keep goats, chickens and pigs. Life here feels like it did in Central Europe 1000 years ago.

Many residents suffer from malnutrition and hunger. In addition, many communities in the Nuba Mountains have no access to clean drinking water and sanitary facilities. This and the limited access to medical care lead to an increased risk of illness and preventable deaths. The unstable situation in Sudan has exacerbated the problems in some cases and driven thousands of war refugees into the region.

There is not much for the children in the region to do. They gratefully accept the meaningful activities that our schools offer them for a few hours a day. And even the youngest children realize that this is their chance to escape poverty one day.