Winter Donation Appeal to Help Families in Sudan This Season

Sudan is living through what the International Rescue Committee calls “the largest humanitarian crisis ever recorded.” For the third year in a row, the IRC’s 2026 Emergency Watchlist, published in December 2025, ranked Sudan first among all the world’s crises. Since war broke out in April 2023, families have lost their homes, their livelihoods, and in many cases their loved ones.

Sudan in 2026: Where Things Stand

The World’s Largest Displacement Crisis

Nearly 13 million Sudanese have been forced from their homes, many of them more than once:

• About 9.1 million people are displaced inside Sudan, according to UNICEF’s May 2026 situation report.
• Another 4.3 million have fled across the border as refugees, mostly to Egypt and eastern Chad, according to a UNHCR appeal from February 2026.

In total, 33.7 million people in Sudan now need humanitarian help, including 17.3 million children.

Hunger, Famine Risk, and Soaring Prices

Even before the war, many Sudanese families struggled to put food on the table. Now, destroyed farms, looted markets, and broken supply routes have made things far worse.

According to the FEWS NET Sudan Food Security Outlook, published in June 2026:

• About 22 to 23 million people are expected to need emergency food assistance.
• There’s a credible risk of famine in seven areas of North Darfur and in parts of South Kordofan.
• Staple food prices are 125% to 200% above the five-year average.
• Aid reached fewer than 1 in 5 of the people who needed it in May 2026.

A Health System Under Attack

Sudan’s hospitals and clinics have been hit again and again. By April 2026, Insecurity Insight had recorded more than 740 attacks on health care since the war began, with 206 health workers killed. In Khartoum State alone, health officials told Assafir Al-Arabi that around 75% of hospitals had been damaged and put out of service. SAPA’s own research found that 41 of 87 hospitals were damaged in just the first 500 days of fighting.

>> Related Post: How Your 2026 Year-End Donations Can Change Lives in Sudan

Why Winter Makes Everything Harder

Winter doesn’t start Sudan’s crisis, but it deepens it. Most displaced families are living in makeshift shelters, open fields, or damaged buildings. When temperatures drop at night:

• Respiratory infections and pneumonia rise, especially among babies and older people.
• Malnourished children struggle to keep warm and fight off illness.
• Crowded shelters spread disease more quickly as families huddle together for warmth.
• Women and girls face added risk. In April 2026, UNFPA told UN News that 76% of women and girls surveyed said they feel unsafe, including on the dark walk to unlit latrines at night.

>> Related Post: The Critical Role of Winter Donations in Supporting Sudanese Families

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How SAPA Supports Families Affected by the Crisis

Across Sudan’s war-torn towns and displacement camps, SAPA teams work every day to keep families alive. Where markets have collapsed and hospitals have been destroyed, we’ve become a lifeline.

SAPA’s work includes:

• Food and hunger relief: Through its Sudan hunger relief program, SAPA’s community kitchen in Tawila provides more than 4,000 hot meals a day, according to the program information.
• Healthcare and emergency services: SAPA supports medical care and health services for communities affected by the crisis. Learn more about its healthcare and emergency services.
• Clean water: Its clean water program supports efforts to improve access to safe water and sanitation.
• Maternal and newborn care: Through Save a Life in Sudan, SAPA supports care for mothers and newborns.

Your winter donation can help SAPA continue this work when displaced families need support most. Here are examples of the needs your contribution can help address:

→ Donate to SAPA and Support Families in Sudan

FAQs

1. Why is Sudan facing one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises?

More than three years of war have destroyed homes, hospitals, farms, and water systems. The International Rescue Committee ranked Sudan first on its 2026 Emergency Watchlist for the third year running.

2. How many people have been displaced?

Nearly 13 million. About 9.1 million people are displaced inside Sudan, according to UNICEF, and about 4.3 million have fled to neighboring countries as refugees, according to UNHCR.

3. Why is winter especially dangerous for displaced families?

Most displaced families live in makeshift shelters or out in the open. As nights get colder, pneumonia and respiratory infections rise, especially among babies, older people, and malnourished children.

4. How can I help right now?

Make a gift to our Year-End Appeal through Gift Hope to Sudan. Your support helps provide food, medical care, clean water, and protection for families through the cold season. You can also share this appeal with friends and family.