Sudan: ‘It made me dream again’: The students refusing to let war stop their education
Hundreds of Sudanese refugee and displaced students are sustaining their university education through UNHCR–Mastercard Foundation scholarships, receiving financial, psychological and community support amid the country’s war.
Sarah Tekhlu, an Eritrean refugee displaced twice since April 2023, was preparing to abandon higher education until a DAFI scholarship under the UNHCR–Mastercard Foundation partnership covered her tuition and living costs at Comboni College in Khartoum. The programme restored her belief in her future, offering financial relief and psychological support she says ‘made me dream again’ despite displacement and conflict.
Azhari Ibrahim, displaced from North Darfur to Port Sudan, faced losing his civil engineering degree at the University of Kordofan until the same scholarship provided tuition and mentoring, leadership training and community connections. He describes the support as addressing ‘economic and psychological’ needs, enabling him to continue his studies while rebuilding confidence among peers.
Beyond funding, the programme fosters peer networks where students like Sarah and Azhari mentor others on scholarship applications and university admissions, turning participants into advocates for education access. Workshops strengthen resilience, with Sarah noting each session left her ‘full of dreams,’ while Azhari emphasizes that Sudanese students require ‘support at all levels’ to persist amid ongoing war.
Both students view education as a foundation for rebuilding Sudan. Sarah teaches kindergarten while studying and plans to open her own school, while Azhari aims to use his engineering degree to repair war-damaged communities. They stress that peace is essential, urging peers to persist in learning despite hardship, as ‘life will not stop’ and education remains their pathway forward.