Khartoum: After more than two years of brutal conflict in Sudan, children are speaking out about their hopes to return to school and rebuild their futures to become doctors, police officers and teachers, Save the Children said.

According to Save the Children, in a collection of heartfelt letters written by children from River Nile, Red Sea, and Gedarif, they are calling for peace and a chance to learn again in Sudan, which is facing one of the world’s worst education emergencies with 17 million children out of school. Hundreds of school buildings have been damaged or destroyed since the beginning of the war in Sudan in April 2023, with over 3,200 schools (17% of all schools) being used as shelters.

The children, many displaced and out of school for over two years, shared their dreams of becoming doctors, teachers, and other professionals, despite the ongoing crisis, with drawings illustrating their dreams accompanying their letters that will be shared with children outside Sudan.

The United Nations warns that Sudan may become the worst education emergency in the world following nearly two-and-a-half years of conflict that has left more than 30 million people—more than half of Sudan’s population—requiring humanitarian assistance, including an estimated 16 million children.

About 90% of school-aged children, nearly 19 million, now lack formal education, with one million children dropping out in 2023 alone, according to UNICEF. High school students have not been able to take their exams since 2023, leaving two cohorts who have finished their high school education without certification.

Schools across Sudan are being used as makeshift shelters for displaced families, leaving students without safe spaces to learn. At the same time, a lack of pay, resources, and security has led to high teacher turnover and the disruption of vital school exams for more than one million students.

Mohamad Abdiladif, Country Director for Save the Children in Sudan, emphasized that this is not just a crisis of education but a crisis of hope, highlighting that these letters show what’s at stake: the future of an entire generation. He urged the world to act now to support Sudan’s children.

Millions of children continue to face disruptions to their education, with their schools being destroyed by bombs, used to shelter displaced families, or left behind when children are forced to flee. There is a pressing need for immediate international support to fund education in emergencies, protect schools from attacks and military use, and ensure safe, quality learning for every child in Sudan.

Save the Children is calling for the international community to take urgent political action to address this crisis. This conflict demands more than just humanitarian aid; it demands a political solution. There must be concerted action at national, regional, and international levels to pressure all parties to the conflict to end the fighting and implement a locally led comprehensive peace process.

Save the Children is currently supporting 400 schools across Sudan and has supported over 45,000 children through formal education and about 37,000 children through non-formal education. Save the Children has worked in Sudan since 1983 and is currently supporting children and their families across Sudan, providing health, nutrition, education, child protection, and food security and livelihoods support. Save the Children is also supporting refugees from Sudan in Egypt and South Sudan.