Community Kitchens in Sudan Face Crisis as Famine Looms

Thu Nov 06 2025 23:59:53 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The struggle for survival grows dire as local initiatives providing food in war-torn Sudan confront potential closure amid escalating famine conditions.

A network of community kitchens crucial for feeding millions in Sudan is on the brink of collapse due to neglect, funding shortages, and volunteer exhaustion. Reports from aid organizations warn that without immediate support, these locally run kitchens may shut down, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in a country already suffering extreme food insecurity due to ongoing civil conflict.

A network of community kitchens in Sudan - a crucial lifeline for millions of people caught up in the civil war - is on the verge of collapse, a report says.

The warning from aid organisation Islamic Relief comes after a UN-backed global hunger monitor confirmed that famine conditions were spreading in conflict zones.

The locally run kitchens have operated in areas that are difficult for international humanitarian groups to access, but are facing closure due to neglect, shortages, and volunteer exhaustion.

Sudan's people have been brutalised by more than two years of war after fighting broke out between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

It has created what the UN has called the world's largest humanitarian crisis, with estimates that more than 24 million people are facing acute food shortages.

Most of the kitchens will close if nothing changes in six months, with maybe one or two surviving in each area, one volunteer is quoted by the Islamic Relief report as saying.

These local initiatives often operate alongside social networks known as Emergency Response Rooms that have filled the gaps of collapsing government services and limited international aid.

Financial fragility is the most pressing issue the kitchens face. They are now funded mainly by the Sudanese diaspora, after the USAID cuts earlier this year.

However, severe operational challenges persist, including lack of safe water and firewood. Aid agencies report bureaucratic obstacles hinder delivery of supplies, and many areas face disruptions due to insecurity and blockades.

The situation is particularly dire in besieged cities like el-Fasher and Kadugli, which are largely cut off from commercial supplies and humanitarian assistance. The latest global food security report confirmed famine conditions in these locations.

In el-Fasher, community kitchens have reduced their services to feeding animal fodder as the situation worsens.

Volunteers note the emotional toll of informing families that resources are depleted, revealing the heartbreaking struggle of those trying to help in the midst of chaos.

Without a significant shift in support and resources, the viability of these kitchens, a critical source of food for the besieged population, is at stake, highlighting the urgent need for humanitarian intervention.