Source: UN News: Friday, 17 April 2026 00:01 AM
On the outskirts of the Ugandan town of Biyale, tents pitched on open fields near dusty roads can be seen far and wide. People seeking shelter in Kriandongo, one of Uganda’s largest refugee camps, are trying to leave behind a devastating past and re-shape new lives for themselves. The story of the people living here does not end with just fleeing the war to save their lives. Another phase of their lives has begun, where days are measured not in hours, but in the burden of having lost so much and in the effort to continue living. More than 6 lakh Sudanese refugees have reached this camp since the violent conflict between rival military forces broke out in Sudan in April 2023. Many people have endured grueling and exhausting journeys in extremely challenging conditions to reach here. They have very few belongings and a lot of memories, and are trying to get their lives back on track after being torn apart by great upheaval. UN News/Abdelmonem Makki About 6 lakh Sudanese refugees have taken shelter in the Kriandongo camp located near Biale town of Uganda. Kriandongo refugee camp, about 275 kilometers from the Ugandan capital Kampala, is home to displaced and host communities from South Sudan, Burundi, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda. What connects them is greater than the differences between them: the experience of losing so much and the need to start life over again. UN News follows the lives of the people seeking shelter in this refugee camp. A closer look and a first-hand account of the extraordinary challenges faced by those fleeing war. From the engineering room to the camp UN News/Abdelmonem Makki Hussein Hashim Taiman is living a life he never imagined in the Kriandongo camp. Hussain Hashim Taiman is a civil engineer. He holds a master’s degree and was once a member of the UN Mission in Sudan’s Darfur region.UNAMID) Was serving in the civil engineering department. But now Hussain is living a life which he had never imagined. He sits inside a tent and is the head of the Sudanese refugee community in Uganda. In May 2023, Hussein left Omdurman with her children and traveled first to South Sudan and then to Uganda. He told that this journey was full of fear, harassment and abuse. “Here, when you complain, you realize that someone else’s misfortune is much bigger than yours, so you forget your own misery and try to alleviate theirs.” “We take courage from each other. Sometimes, we sit together like professionals and talk about our past. I’m living in a tent now, but that’s what happens as a result of war.” Situation as it is On April 15, violent clashes broke out in Sudan three Years are passing but despite expectations, the situation has not improved much. The level of humanitarian aid has declined, and tents that were designed to last six months have now, after three years, become permanent shelters for people. Adequate health care services are not available, education is irregular, and food and water have become a shared responsibility for residents. Hussein Hashim warned that the future of an entire generation is at stake, and therefore calls on the United Nations and the international community to help Sudanese people in Uganda. More attention will have to be focused on refugees.Food: A question of life and deathMutasim Mohammed Ahmed, originally from Nyala in South Darfur province of Sudan, lived in the capital Khartoum and was doing business in Sudan, China and Dubai. His life was disrupted as fighting broke out in the country and he sought refuge in Uganda in 2023, where he now works as the Secretary of Community Kitchens. When faced with the harsh realities in Kriandongo camp, simple solutions emerged, including community kitchens. These kitchens were started as a result of the urgent need for food and have proven to be a life-saving effort that has helped refugees in Kriandongo camp. It has helped in saving Sudan from starvation. Currently, 20 such kitchens are operated in this camp, through which efforts are being made to control hunger and build social relationships among Sudanese residents. Mutasim Mohammed Ahmed said that world food program (WFPThese kitchens were set up after food supplies to refugees were cut. “We saw residents suffering from malnutrition. There were deaths due to hunger and even miscarriages.” Community kitchens have changed them. “The experience of working in a community kitchen taught me what it means to be human.” “You see people hungry here, and if you don’t have humanity, you can’t feel it. I feel that way for my fellow Sudanese, who are part of my own flesh.” Helping Others © MDPD Dr. Widad Makki has been a professor at a university in Sudan and the director of the special education department in Khartoum province, but Because of the bombing he had to flee his home. Dr. Widad Makki, who now lives in Kampala, traveled a long distance to the camp to express her solidarity with the people living here. Dr. Makki, previously a university professor and director of the special education department in Khartoum province, was forced to flee her home because of the bombing. She told UN News that she had to walk through gunfire, smoke, burning vehicles, and bodies lying on the streets. It was very difficult to go through this with children. “I used to ask them to cover their faces, so that they wouldn’t see all this.” Dr. Widad now lives in Kampala and works for Al-Malam Darfur, an organization dedicated to peace and development. Along with her colleagues, she supports these community cooks and is busy arranging food for refugees in the camp. “We survived and arrived safely here in Uganda. And now we are in this camp helping our Sudanese brothers and sisters.” But he is also worried about the prolongation of the crisis in Sudan. “Our biggest fear is that this war will continue for a long time. There are so many challenges.” “Education, rent, cost of living, and no income or employment. We dream every day that this war will stop and we will return to Sudan.” Refugee doctor, always ready UN News/Abdelmonem Makki Dr. Abdul Jabbar Ahmed Adam feels at home in Uganda. Dr. Abdul Jabbar Ahmed Adam, a physician, is now working in a hospital in Kampala, Uganda. Far from these refugee camps, the picture looks very different in Kampala, where some Sudanese nationals have rebuilt their careers. Before arriving in Uganda in 2023, he worked in a hospital in Khartoum. “Uganda welcomed me warmly. The work here is good and there is no discrimination. We don’t feel like strangers, and we feel like Sudanese.” He is not alone. Many medical workers from Sudan have had the opportunity to work in their host country. Some have also opened their own clinics. Abdul Jabbar said, “There are good hospitals in Uganda, but there is a shortage of staff.” Therefore, Sudanese doctors have made an important contribution here. People of many nationalities come to us in the hospital. He is trying to challenge a common perception. “Not everyone who comes here is dependent on help. There are professionals, businessmen and people with skills in different fields.” White Heart Hotel UN News/Abdelmonem Makki Ibrahim Zakaria sits outside an ice cream shop in Yahaya, Uganda. Ibrahim Zakaria Yahaya made a long journey after displacement and is now busy in settling his life. He had already arrived in Biale, Uganda, before the new wave of displacement. He left South Darfur in late 2007, reached Uganda in 2008 and then came to Biale after living in Kampala for 5 years. He says that they were the first Sudanese family to reach here. The early years were very difficult. “I had to suffer a lot after reaching here.” But gradually, his business expanded through farming, trading and property business. Three years later, he opened a hotel named White Hart. The reason for the name was an invitation to purify the hearts and consciences, so that the Sudanese people could forget the bitterness they have endured during the repeated wars. “Whoever comes here, comes with a true heart. We fled the war, and we have to stick together, so that one day, we can return home safely.” Ibrahim expresses his gratitude to Uganda. He said that the future is uncertain, services are scarce and the restlessness does not subside, especially among children and youth. Until the war in Sudan ends, people are living their lives in this refugee camp with the same simplicity, hardship and endless stories.
