Save the Children builds shelters in Sudan

ch11187583 joyful children at abunaja settlement gedaref, offering them save & secure environment
Save the Children has built shelter frames by Better Shelter in the Gedaref State. The region has received more than one million displaced people since the conflict began. Built with local materials, the shelters give families a safer place to live, while some function as classrooms.

Since April 2023, fighting in Sudan has forced millions of people to leave their homes, creating one of the most severe humanitarian situations in the world. Many have arrived in Gedaref State, eastern Sudan, with few belongings and an urgent need for safe places to stay. Cecilia Chatterjee Martinsen, International Program Director at Save the Children Sweden, recently visited Sudan.

“I am very proud of our partnership with Better Shelter and the impact it is having on children in Sudan. In the El-Saraf settlement and the Abu Alnaja-D reception centre, Save the Children has constructed 75 shelter frames in response to the high number of people arriving.

Cecilia Chatterjee Martinsen, International Program Director at Save the Children Sweden

cecilia engaging with a child outdoor
Cecilia Chatterjee Martinsen. Photo: Save the Children. © Mussab Salahaldeen. 
Working with the community

This project marks the first use of Better Shelter’s shelter frames in Sudan. Save the Children Sudan trained local contractors to assemble them, and the community took part in the construction work, using materials like hazeer grass, bamboo sheets, and grass mats. This approach reduces pressure on the environment, helps the shelters feel familiar, and ensures that skills stay in the community from the start.

Save the Children has been working in Sudan since 1983 and supports children and their families in 14 of the country’s 18 states. Their work covers health and nutrition, education, child protection, child rights governance, child poverty, and emergency response. In 2025, together with local partners, they reached 4.9 million people through their programs.

“We are still carrying fear and stress from what we went through, but having a safe place has reduced constant anxiety. Personally, I feel safer than I have in a long time, and that helps my children feel calmer too.”

Mutasim, father and husband, Gedaref State

mutasim
Mutasim. Photo: Save the Children
A shelter adapted to place

Community shelter committees help look after the shelters. They handle small repairs and share safety practices with neighbours, including how to reduce the risk of fire.

ch11187615 happy girls after receiving esnfis assistances abunaja settlement, al galabat al ghabya kassab
Photo: Save the Children
“By creating stable, planned living areas, the shelters have enabled the installation of clean water points, toilets, and classrooms close to where families live. This is amazing to see, but the needs are huge so more support to displaced families is needed.”

Cecilia Chatterjee Martinsen, International Program Director at Save the Children Sweden

Impact in numbers
  • 295 displaced people now live in safe shelter (55 women, 56 men, 114 girls, and 70 boys).
  • 1,536 children in El-Saraf settlement, (840 girls and 696 boys), attend classes in classrooms built from shelter units.

FAQ: The war in Sudan

The conflict began in April 2023 when fighting broke out between Sudan’s army and a powerful paramilitary group called the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The struggle for control quickly spread beyond the capital and turned into a wider conflict affecting many parts of the country.

About 4 million people have crossed into neighbouring countries to seek safety. These are people officially recorded as refugees outside Sudan. Inside Sudan, there are around 11 million people who have been forced to leave their homes but remain within the country’s borders. So, in total, roughly 15 million people have been uprooted from their homes because of the conflict, either inside Sudan or beyond its borders.

Many have fled to Chad, South Sudan, Egypt and others.

The war has disrupted everyday life. Fighting has damaged homes, markets, and services. Many people struggle to find basic things like food, water, and medicine.

The United Nations describes the situation as one of the largest displacement crises in the world. They report widespread disruption to schools, health services, and access to essential supplies, and say millions need immediate support.

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