Sudan’s North Kordofan State has been hit particularly hard by prolonged droughts triggered by failed rainy seasons and the effects of climate change. Islamic Relief is providing lifesaving assistance to affected families by strengthening drought resilience, and improving livelihoods and environmental conservation.
‘It was too fast!’
Hanan is a 45-year-old widow living with her 7 children in Alhamadia, a rural village in North Kordofan. Hanan’s husband was the breadwinner of the family and since he passed away, she has been struggling to make ends meet.
Hanan shares her story, “My husband, Adil, passed away in 2017 when he was 49 years old. I had 3-month-old twins at the time. He got sick one day and went to the hospital for a check-up with my eldest daughter.”
She continues, “A while later, my daughter called me to tell me that he had passed away! I couldn’t believe it; it was too fast!
“Adil loved voluntary work; he was the head of our local committee since 1994. He helped so many people, it was in his nature. He was kind and tolerant, and he never let anyone down,” says Hanan.
“My son, Abdulazim, was traumatised after his father’s passing, they were very close; more like siblings. His passing away left a huge void in my children’s lives.” My son only started to recover 2 years ago. I was afraid he would never recover. Thankfully, he is now in college, I am very glad that he is.”
Cash grant to pay for essentials
Islamic Relief supported Hanan with an unconditional cash grant. She says, “After I received the cash, I cleared my debts and bought sugar, corn, onions, lentils, flour, and coffee beans. I will buy bread with the remaining cash and pay for my children’s school fees.
“I hope my children live a good life and continue their education. I also hope to have an income generating project,” she continues.
‘You got lucky’
Husna is another woman from Alhamadia village who was supported with a cash grant. She rents a small piece of land where she farms. She does not earn any income during the dry season. Her son helps her and takes care of the village’s goats for a wage.
She says, “Awatif, a community leader, told me that my name was on [Islamic Relief’s] cash grant list but only 100 people from the village will receive the help.”
Husna continues, “she told me you might get lucky. One day, I had nothing to feed my children, so I went to the local grocery shop and borrowed small portions of sugar and lentils. I was worried about how I was going to repay the grocer until I received a call from Awatif: ‘you got lucky,’ she said.
“I have never received aid from any charity. I was patient and confident that Allah will compensate me.”
Earning a living
“When I held the cash envelope in my hand, I was so happy that my heart was beating out of my chest! I immediately went to the grocery shop and paid back my debt. I then bought food supplies and cooked a meal for my children,” says Husna. “I even bought meat; the last time we had meat was a month ago.”
She adds, “I am going to invest in the remaining cash and buy a goat. My son feels bad tending to other people’s goats and not having one of his own.
“My children almost never drink milk. We would drink lots of milk if we had a goat. I will care for it and sell its offspring. This way I will have some income during the dry season.”
Drought response
Islamic Relief has given unconditional cash grants to 1,275 drought-affected families in North Kordofan, through a project that aims to reach over 3,300 drought-affected households in total.
“I would like to thank the people who have helped me, I appreciate their effort. I hope Allah helps them like they have helped me,” says Husna.
Our project is giving communities reliable access to vital services through initiatives like installing hand pumps and solar mini water yards in North Kordofan’s Sheikan, Bara, and West Bara. The project also distributes drought-resilient seeds to farmers, and trains community leaders and government officials to raise their awareness of climate change.
With your help we can reach more vulnerable families in Sudan and around the world. Please donate to our Global Emergencies fund today and help save lives.