10-02-2026 | di COOPI

Sudan. After 20 days of flight, essential aid reaches 200 displaced families in Khartoum

After more than twenty days of fleeing in extreme conditions, amid widespread insecurity and makeshift shelters, 200 families from El Fasher in North Darfur and the Kordofan region have finally reached the State of Khartoum. Here, from 1 to 4 February, COOPI – Cooperazione Internazionale ETS distributed emergency kits to meet the most urgent needs of the displaced people.

The intervention focused on the Umbada Dar es Salaam camps, where the families settled after an exhausting journey. The kits included mats, blankets, solar-powered torches, mosquito nets and soap for personal hygiene: essential items to help them cope with the initial stages of the emergency and improve their extremely precarious living conditions.

The initiative is part of the project “Life-saving humanitarian assistance, protection, access to basic sanitation and disaster risk reduction for vulnerable groups and displaced communities in Khartoum State”, funded by Italian Cooperation and implemented by COOPI.

What made the intervention even more significant was the continuity of the support: many of the families reached had already been assisted by COOPI in El Fasher as part of a previous rapid response project in the WASH sector, funded by the Sudan Humanitarian Fund.

When these families saw us again in Khartoum, the impact was very powerful: a moment of great human value. We were able to continue supporting them along a journey marked by loss, forced displacement and conditions of extreme precariousness.

said Marco Loiodice, COOPI Head of Mission in Sudan.

Incidents such as these demonstrate how crucial it is to ensure continuity of assistance, not only in practical terms but also symbolically.

The distribution was carried out in response to the recent worsening of the crisis in the country, following the takeover of El Fasher by the Rapid Support Forces, which forced thousands of people to flee their homes in search of safety, walking toward the capital.

The families reached are mostly headed by women, often single mothers, as the men have died or gone missing during the journey, and they are frequently survivors of violence. Their presence had been reported by the local authorities during a visit by Italian Cooperation.

The project contributes to the humanitarian response to the crisis in Sudan, providing integrated assistance to populations affected by the conflict that began on 15 April 2023 and by recurring natural disasters. In particular, it supports the most vulnerable communities, with a focus on the Karrari area in Khartoum State, promoting the improvement of living conditions for internally displaced persons and host communities through durable and inclusive solutions. The approach integrates protection activities, cash assistance and disaster risk reduction.

COOPI will continue to stand by the populations affected by the crisis, guaranteeing constant support and ensuring the continuity of assistance to displaced people.

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COOPI has been working in Sudan since 2004, providing humanitarian assistance to communities affected by conflict and natural disasters. Today, it maintains an operational office in Khartoum and has established a strong presence in North Darfur, with bases in Mellit, Tawila and El Fasher. In a constantly evolving context, the organisation adapts its interventions to respond to emerging needs, working in the sectors of food security and livelihoods, water and sanitation, shelter and non-food items, and strengthening protection activities for the most vulnerable sections of the population.