Maysaa Al-Qadi

Sudan- In the East Nile district of Sudan’s Kahartoum state, thousands of families eat at soup kitchens which they describe as their “Vessels of Life”. However, the soup kitchens in the district suffer from the lack of funding.

There are between 170 and 200 soup kitchens in the district; however, 150 of them are now out of service due to the lack of funding, said Hind Al-Taif, head of the media office at the East Nile Emergency Room.  

The district suffers from the conflict that started between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan on April 15, 2023. The economic crisis in the district has been deteriorating since the start of the conflict.

Increase in cholera cases

The emergency room called on a number of humanitarian aid organizations to provide funding to the soup kitchens after 150 of them stopped serving free food to people in need at once. “There is a surge in cholera cases in the district suffering from the lack of medicines. Most medicines are brought from the city of Shendi, which poses a risk to volunteers,” said Hind Al-Taif.

People need solidarity

Calling on all organizations to support the soup kitchens in the district, Hind Al-Taif said, “To prevent malnutrition and control cholera cases, we need support from the media and expect humanitarian aid to reach the district. The soup kitchens should be supported. The Sudanese people also need solidarity and an end to the conflict.”

Hind Al-Taif described the situation in the district as a “disaster”. “Kahartoum was one of the first provinces where the conflict started and unfortunately the infrastructure collapsed quickly because it had been fragile. The situation in the state was bad but it has been deteriorating because the conflict lasts long. The conflict causes the collapse of the health system and economy.”

Water, power and internet outages

The East Nile Emergency Room was established in the district following the start of the conflict in Sudan to provide food and medicines to people and inform them about safe places. “However, the situation has been deteriorating due to the recent water, power and internet outages,” said Hind Al-Taif, calling on international humanitarian aid organizations to provide funding to the soup kitchens.