Save the Children’s work continues amid the humanitarian crisis in Sudan – This is how Orion’s support is making a difference

The future of millions of children is at stake in Sudan. The armed conflict that started in April 2023 has undermined healthcare services and led to the closure of many schools. More than 30,000 civilians have died, and millions of children have been left without shelter, education, and food.  

More than 30 million people in Sudan are in need of humanitarian aid. “Most affected by the crisis are children and young people who still have their whole lives ahead of them,” says Anne Haaranen, Director of International Programs at Save the Children Finland.  

It was only a couple of years ago that the organization was launching development cooperation in Sudan. Now it is working to save lives. 

“Already more than 16 million children in Sudan are out of school,” says Haaranen. This increases risk of violence and abuse. When children are not in school, it is easier for armed groups to recruit them. Children have also had to leave their homes and become separated from their families. 

“Sudan is the world’s worst ongoing child refugee crisis. More than 6.5 million children have left their homes. Many are on the verge of starvation or already starving. It’s a fight for survival,” Haaranen says. 

Private donations are extremely important

Orion donated EUR 50,000 to Save the Children Finland in 2024. The donation was divided between the organization’s programmes in Finland and in East Africa.  

In East Africa, work is being carried out in an EU-financed project. All public funding requires a self-financing component, which is typically ten per cent of the total,” Haaranen says. In other words, if public funding of EUR 1 million is granted for an aid programme, Save the Children will need EUR 100 000 in other financing. 

“The programmes are always co-financed. We would not be able to run them without private donors,” says Haaranen. 

That is why Orion’s donation is very important for the organization. 

In 2024, some of the funds donated by Orion were channelled to a nutrition and health project in East African countries.  

• Local Save the Children organizations set up fixed and mobile health clinics and train local people to run them.  

• Vaccines, food, water, and malnutrition treatment, as well as access to schooling, are provided to crisis areas. Pregnant and breastfeeding mothers are given support and advice. 

• Money from Orion’s donation has been used to provide therapeutic food to treat malnutrition and vaccines for children under five.  

It is precisely food security that is posing a major challenge in the midst of the conflict.  

“The armed conflict has hit the country’s breadbaskets, bringing food production throughout the country to a standstill. The conflict has also made it difficult to deliver food aid,” Haaranen says. 

Severe malnutrition can lead to death if left untreated. However, when treatment is available, it is possible to recover from even severe malnutrition. 

• In 2024, nutrition programmes reached a total of 434,218 children in Sudan.  

• More than 25,000 malnourished children were treated.  

• Of moderately malnourished children, 85 per cent returned to within the limits of normal nutrition. 

Work in Sudan continues with new project 

Although the conflict in Sudan continues, people are also thinking about the future.  
 
“The war has hit the country’s capital Khartoum. The capital has now been moved to Port Sudan, where new infrastructure and industry are now being built,” Haaranen says.  
 
Save the Children’s work will continue with a one-year follow-up project funded by the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, starting in June 2025. In it, Save the Children Sudan, together with local partners, will support vulnerable children and their families who have been affected by the climate and the conflict in the states of Blue Nile and Gedaref,” says Haaranen.  
 
“A total of 25,919 people are expected to benefit from the project. The project also promotes the inclusion of people with disabilities by working with disability organizations,” says Haaranen.  
 
Another goal for the project is to identify and prevent the causes that lead to the marginalization of people with disabilities and children in conflict.