PadsForPeace

“We hadn’t eaten all day. When the shelling stopped, the first thing we did was look for food.”

Since May 2024, the people of Al Fasher in North Darfur have lived under an unrelenting siege by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Roads have been blocked. Markets destroyed. Food prices have soared beyond reach. Many families — especially displaced women and children — have gone days without a meal.

But amid this suffering, a group of brave women stood up.

In September 2025, thanks to your support, Gomat Banat Al Fasher Tukul, a local women’s initiative, launched two emergency community kitchens inside the besieged city. Backed by funds from this GlobalGiving campaign, these women cooked and distributed hot, life-saving meals to some of the most vulnerable families in Sudan.

“We saw mothers arriving with empty containers. Some children hadn’t eaten in 24 hours,” one organizer shared. “We didn’t have much, but we gave what we could, because someone had to.”

What Your Support Made Possible

With the $5,395 disbursed from GlobalGiving in this reporting period, SIHA and Gomat Banat Al Fasher were able to:

• Operate two kitchens for one week in Al Fasher
• Serve hot meals to over 750 displaced people

o   400 in Al Qubba over 4 days

o   350 in Abu Shouk over 3 days

• Prioritize women, children, and the elderly — many of whom are displaced multiple times
• Provide dignity, nourishment, and a moment of safety during a time of deep fear

Each meal cost approximately $7.19, due to siege-related inflation, food scarcity, and dangerous conditions limiting local movement and supplies.

What We’re Up Against

• Airstrikes and shelling regularly interrupted food preparation and forced suspensions
• Ingredients like lentils, rice, and oil were nearly impossible to find, and extremely expensive
• Movement within the city was dangerous; even reaching the displacement centers was risky
• Women cooked quietly, in fear, often under tarpaulins or behind walls
• And yet — they fed hundreds who would otherwise go hungry

These women refused to be paralyzed by fear. Their courage under siege speaks to the power of grassroots, women-led action in times of war.

Looking Ahead

This small act — two women-led kitchens feeding hundreds — proves that even under siege, solidarity is a lifeline.

But the situation is rapidly deteriorating.

On October 27, 2025, Al Fasher fell under the full control of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) after months of intense siege. Since then, humanitarian access has entirely collapsed. Food, water, and medicine are no longer reaching the city. Markets are shuttered. Fuel is exhausted. Families are trapped with no escape. The women who run the kitchens now risk their lives daily just to source ingredients or reach displacement shelters.

And still, they persist.

SIHA is committed to standing with them, but we cannot do it alone. We urgently need support to scale up community kitchens, secure emergency supplies, and ensure that women and children trapped in Al Fasher and other besieged areas across Darfur are not forgotten.

How You Can Help

Every donation fuels this lifeline. Here’s how you can continue to stand with us:

• Donate: $25 provides one hot meal for three families under siege
• Share this update with your networks — amplify their courage
• Partner with us or get in touch: info@sihanet.org | www.sihanet.org

Follow our journey:
Instagram: @sihanetwork
Twitter/X: @sihanet
Facebook: SIHA Network
LinkedIn: Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa
YouTube: @SihaNetwork

Links:

• Report on the Situation in El Fasher, North Darfur
• El Fasher and Its Surroundings Face Endless Cycles of Genocide
• Visit our website