‘We are the lost generation of Sudan’: Students in exile
Thousands of Sudanese students have fled to neighbouring countries to escape ongoing conflict, with many unable to continue their education. Students in refugee camps describe their displacement as temporary, hoping to return home once fighting ceases, but educational opportunities remain severely disrupted. Areas controlled by the Rapid Support Forces have seen students without regular schooling for over three years.
Sudan's prolonged conflict has created a humanitarian crisis affecting an entire generation of students forced to abandon their education and seek refuge across borders. Islam Ibrahim, a 20-year-old pharmacy student, fled Sudan after her father was killed during the siege of el-Fasher, eventually reaching Korsi refugee camp in the Central African Republic with her mother and six sisters. Unable to continue her formal studies, she now volunteers to assist newly arrived refugee women and girls, drawing on medical knowledge acquired before the war interrupted her academic pursuits.
Even in exile, displaced students face pressures that extend beyond the immediate conflict. Family members have travelled to refugee camps urging returns to Sudan to settle inheritance matters, creating difficult choices for young people who fear both the active conflict zone and social pressures awaiting them at home. Many students express reluctance to return unless they can resume their education, viewing their displacement as temporary despite years passing without resolution.
Interviews with more than 30 Sudanese university students across Korsi refugee camp reveal a widespread pattern of interrupted futures. Most are in their twenties and originated from Amdafock, a border town in Darfur that initially provided refuge before escalating violence forced families to flee. These students had anticipated temporary displacement, expecting to return home and complete their degrees once fighting subsided.
The conflict has created stark educational disparities across Sudan. Millions of students in areas controlled by the Rapid Support Forces have experienced more than three years without regular schooling or access to nationally recognised examinations. In contrast, students in regions held by the Sudanese army have gradually returned to classrooms and completed exams, widening opportunity gaps between young people on opposing sides of the conflict.
Recent military developments have further diminished prospects for return. Amdafock was recently seized by fighters from the Seleka rebel coalition operating in the Central African Republic, eliminating realistic possibilities for families originally from the town to go home. With support from UNHCR, some Sudanese refugees have secured university places at the University of Bangui, offering a fragile pathway back into education after years of disruption, though students must adapt to studying in French rather than Arabic.
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