One year after famine was declared in Sudan’s Zamzam camp, children remain on the brink of death, aid is blocked, and food prices have soared. This in-depth report explores the human cost of a crisis the world has yet to resolve.
Introduction: A Year Without Relief
A year has passed since famine was officially declared in Zamzam camp, located in North Darfur, Sudan. Once a temporary refuge for displaced families fleeing violence, it has become a place where hope is scarce and survival is a daily struggle. Children are skeletal, adults are malnourished, and communities are trapped by conflict. Despite international recognition of the crisis, little has changed. No aid trucks have reached the camp in months, the nearby city of El Fasher remains under siege, and food prices are four times higher than in other parts of the country. The world is watching, but the siege continues.
From Shelter to Suffering
Zamzam camp was established as a safe haven for those uprooted by war in Darfur. Over the years, it grew into one of the largest displacement camps in Sudan. Families who arrived with nothing hoped for food assistance, healthcare, and the chance to rebuild their lives. But after the conflict intensified in 2023, the fragile support system collapsed.
By the time famine was declared, the camp’s population had already been pushed to the brink. Thousands of new arrivals poured in from surrounding villages, escaping violence but finding only scarcity. Shelter became overcrowded, clean water ran short, and healthcare facilities could not cope with the influx. Within months, hunger reached catastrophic levels.
The Siege of El Fasher and Its Impact
The city of El Fasher, the closest urban center to Zamzam, has been under siege for over a year. Roads leading to the camp are blocked, and trade routes are cut off. What little food enters the area comes at staggering prices, out of reach for most families. Transporting supplies is dangerous, as armed groups control access points and impose heavy restrictions.
This siege does more than block goods; it traps people in a cycle of desperation. Farmers cannot reach their fields, traders cannot bring in stock, and aid convoys are repeatedly turned back. The result is a camp isolated from the outside world, where the promise of relief has been replaced by the reality of starvation.
Children on the Edge of Survival
Perhaps the most heartbreaking aspect of the crisis is the condition of the children. Health workers describe them as “skin and bones,” with visible rib cages and hollow eyes. Many are too weak to walk or play. Malnutrition rates have soared, and preventable diseases such as diarrhea, respiratory infections, and measles have become deadly in the absence of proper care.
Mothers in Zamzam face impossible choices: skip meals themselves to feed their children, or divide what little food they have so thinly that no one gets enough. The nutritional emergency has long-term consequences, as children who survive severe malnutrition often face stunted growth, weakened immune systems, and developmental delays.
Soaring Food Prices and Vanished Livelihoods
Food prices inside the camp have skyrocketed to four times the national average. A simple sack of grain costs more than most families earn in a month. Before the siege, residents could buy vegetables, meat, and cooking oil from local markets. Now, those markets are empty, and the only available items are often of poor quality or unsuitable for human consumption.
Livelihoods have disappeared. Many residents once worked in nearby farms, sold handmade goods, or engaged in small-scale trade. With roads blocked and farmlands abandoned due to insecurity, those income sources are gone. Desperation has led some to forage for wild plants or animal feed, which carry health risks but keep hunger at bay for another day.
Health Systems in Collapse
The healthcare situation in Zamzam is dire. Clinics are understaffed, undersupplied, and overwhelmed. Without consistent deliveries of medicine, doctors and nurses are forced to turn patients away or treat them with inadequate resources. Life-saving interventions such as therapeutic feeding for malnourished children are limited to a fraction of those in need.
Diseases that should be treatable become fatal in these conditions. Malaria cases spike during the rainy season, and outbreaks of waterborne illnesses follow whenever sanitation systems fail. Pregnant women face dangerous childbirths without skilled attendants or sterile equipment, adding maternal mortality to the camp’s growing list of tragedies.
Community Solidarity Amid Crisis
Despite the devastation, community members have not given up. Young volunteers organize makeshift kitchens, share food rations, and transport the sick to the nearest functioning health posts. Women’s groups teach basic hygiene and nutrition practices to help families make the most of limited supplies.
These acts of solidarity keep many alive, but they cannot replace the need for large-scale humanitarian aid. The volunteers face burnout and shortages themselves, as the siege has left everyone with less to share. Still, their efforts are a testament to human resilience in the face of overwhelming hardship.
The International Response: Too Little, Too Late
International organizations have issued repeated warnings about the crisis in Zamzam, but meaningful intervention has been slow. Funding for humanitarian operations in Sudan remains far below what is required. Even when aid is allocated, it often stalls before reaching those who need it most due to security constraints and bureaucratic delays.
The global spotlight on Sudan has dimmed as other crises dominate headlines. Without sustained international pressure, the blockade around El Fasher and Zamzam is unlikely to lift, and the famine will deepen. For many in the camp, promises of aid feel hollow after a year of waiting.
A Humanitarian Crisis With No End in Sight
The situation in Zamzam is not just a natural disaster; it is a man-made catastrophe. The famine is the direct result of conflict, siege, and neglect. Humanitarian principles demand that aid reach those in need, regardless of politics or military strategy. Yet, every day without action is another day in which more lives are lost.
If the siege is not lifted and aid is not delivered, Zamzam will continue to see rising death tolls, especially among children and the elderly. The camp’s residents are calling for safe corridors, ceasefires, and international guarantees that humanitarian workers can operate without threat.
Evidence of the Crisis
A recent report highlighted the grim reality of life in North Darfur, documenting the expansion of cemeteries near El Fasher and the desperate use of animal feed as a food source. These details offer undeniable proof of the scale of suffering.
Read more here
Conclusion: Choosing Action Over Indifference
One year after famine was declared, Zamzam remains trapped in a nightmare of hunger, disease, and siege. The world faces a choice: allow this crisis to fade into obscurity or take decisive steps to end it. The solutions are clear: lift the blockade, secure humanitarian access, and fully fund relief operations. What is missing is the political will.
Every passing day costs more lives. Compassion is not enough without action. The people of Zamzam have endured twelve months of starvation and silence. They cannot afford a thirteenth.
