Women in war-torn Sudan earn living by making sweets

South Sudan Speaker Jemma Nunu Kumba during the 18th Meeting of the Bureau of EAC Speakers at Ole Sereni Hotel, Nairobi on November 13, 2024. Kenyan National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula elected President of the EAC regional body and took over from Tanzania Speaker Dr.Tulia Ackson[Boniface Okendo, Standard]

In a shelter center for internally displaced persons in Port Sudan, eastern Sudan, the air was filled with the joyful sounds and laughter of women moving among tools for making sweets, accompanied by the rhythmic noise of flour being mixed.

These women, displaced by the ongoing civil war in the country, are striving to overcome life's hardships by securing a source of income after losing their homes and belongings to the conflict.

About 17 displaced families reside in the shelter center, which was converted from the Al-Thawra West Boys School. Here, women are learning confectionery skills to secure both food and income.

Madina Ahmed, a displaced woman in her 60s, is leading the initiative, teaching the craft of making Balah Al-Sham, a popular fried dough pastry.

"I'm a nutritionist, and I wanted to share my experience to help these families learn a profession to secure a stable source of living," Ahmed told Xinhua.

She explained that she has trained the 17 families to make Balah Al-Sham, a sweet of Syrian origin resembling dates, which has become popular in Sudan.

Several organizations have provided flour, oil, and sugar to the displaced families, enabling them to produce these sweets for sale in local markets. The income helps them purchase essential items not supplied by aid organizations, Ahmed added.

"My message through this initiative emphasizes the importance of self-reliance. We must manage under these challenging circumstances and cannot solely depend on aid that might be cut off at any moment," she said, noting that the activity also helps uplift the psychological well-being of the women.

"For me, with four children and a disabled father, this project has been a lifesaver, providing us with a vital source of income," said Safaa Omer, a displaced mother from Wad Madani, central Sudan, now living at the shelter center.

"I produce between 7 and 10 kilograms daily, and my children sell them in the Port Sudan market," Omer said, adding that the income allows them to buy essentials such as meat, milk, and eggs.

Looking ahead, Ahmed said she plans to expand the training program to all 80 shelter centers in Port Sudan, which currently house nearly 21,000 displaced families-approximately 105,000 individuals-from various Sudanese cities, particularly Khartoum, Wad Madani, and Sinnar.

Sudan has been gripped by a devastating civil conflict since mid-April 2023, displacing over 14 million people inside and outside the country, according to the latest estimates from the International Organization for Migration