Sudanese children work on streets as war closes schools

Nine-year-old Abkar Mohammed polishes shoes on the streets of Port Sudan every day.

He arrived in the eastern city with his mother and three siblings from Khartoum days after the armed conflict began on April 15, 2023. The family rents a home in al-Kasara, a low-income neighborhood. Abkar lost his father before the war started. He attends a traditional khalwa to learn the Quran but does not go to a formal school.

Abkar earns 1,000 Sudanese pounds for each pair of shoes he cleans or stitches. By the end of a day, he brings in about 10,000 pounds, which equals roughly 1.08 US dollars. He gives the money to his mother to cover daily needs. His 23-year-old brother works casual jobs in local markets to cover most household expenses.

UNICEF reports that eight million of Sudan's 17 million school-age children are currently out of school. In Darfur, one of the hardest-hit areas, about 80 percent of schools remain closed. Save the Children estimates that children have missed an average of 484 days of classroom learning since the war began. The Rapid Support Forces have been accused of targeting schools and universities in drone strikes.

In September 2026, a drone attack on two warehouses in North Kordofan destroyed more than 330,000 school textbooks. Sulaima Ishag, head of the Government Advisory Council for Women and Children, stated that children in conflict zones face the greatest risk of permanently losing access to education. She noted that girls face additional risks including adolescent pregnancy and increased domestic responsibilities.

Eva Hinds, UNICEF's head of advocacy and communication in Sudan, said nearly half of all school buildings in the country no longer function as classrooms. Displaced children face repeated disruptions to their learning. Hinds warned that the longer children remain out of school, the harder it becomes for them to make up lost learning.

Mahmoud al-Ghali, 16, has not attended school since the war broke out when he was 13. He sells sweets and crisps on the streets of Port Sudan and keeps a profit of around 20,000 Sudanese pounds, less than 3 US dollars a day. He arrived in Port Sudan in July 2025 after working as a street vendor in Al-Fao since December 2023. Two of his younger brothers have returned to classes in Gaziera State after the Sudanese Armed Forces regained control of the area.

Psychologist Hanaa Mohamed stated that prolonged displacement has taken a psychological toll on children. Many experience constant fear, sleep disturbances, and difficulty focusing. These pressures have led to increased aggression or social withdrawal.

Sudan's economy has been set back 30 years by the war. Sixty percent of Sudanese now live in poverty. Saliha Omer, a tea seller in Port Sudan, said her finances prevented her from enrolling her 11-year-old son in school. He works at a grocery shop, but she plans to return to Khartoum in the coming days so he can attend classes.