A quiet line of child survivors is arriving in the Sudanese town of Tawila. Many of these children do not have their parents or any adult with them. They carry deep mental scars from a terrible conflict. Some children have even lost the ability to speak. They are the most vulnerable part of a huge displacement crisis. This crisis began when the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) took control of the city of el-Fasher in late October 2024. Aid workers from the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) are helping. They say a whole generation is deeply traumatized by violence and a desperate escape.
Since the RSF captured el-Fasher, over 100,000 people have fled. The NRC reports at least 15,000 new people in Tawila, which is about 60 kilometres away. Among them are at least 400 children who are alone. Aid groups think the real number is much higher. On average, more than 200 children are registered every day. Many were separated from their families during the chaotic escape. Others have parents who are missing, detained, or killed.
The children's trauma is very clear. An NRC teacher named Nidaa says some children were completely silent when they arrived. Others have bad nightmares. The children talk about hiding for hours and walking at night to avoid attacks. They are exhausted and deeply distressed after walking through the desert for days. They are still terrified of the armed groups.
This child crisis is part of a bigger disaster. Tawila is overwhelmed. Over 650,000 displaced people were already living there. Now, basic resources like shelter, food, and water are very limited. The town must also provide psychological help to these scarred children. Their immediate survival is urgent, but healing their invisible wounds will be a long-term challenge.