In mid-August, the Resistance Committees in Shambat Lands reported that Rapid Supported Forces (RSF) affiliated armed men had looted supplies destined for communal kitchens. Volunteers were assaulted and shot at, and had their phones stolen, leading to the shutdown of these essential kitchens in Shambat. This highlights the increasingly hostile environment faced by these essential services.
The kitchens primarily serve simple meals like soup, occasionally supplemented with bread when available. Ingredients typically include lentils, beans, pasta, and sometimes local greens like purslane, okra, or molokhia.
Since the Sudanese conflict erupted on April 15, 2023, communal kitchens and soup kitchens (takayas) have emerged as lifelines for the war-ravaged population.
Since the Sudanese conflict erupted on April 15, 2023, communal kitchens and soup kitchens (takayas) have emerged as lifelines for the war-ravaged population. These initiatives, born out of the December 2018 revolution, mirror the traditional Sudanese practice of nafeer — a collective solidarity structure for social justice and mutual aid. They have since become vital in feeding people in war-torn cities and areas housing displaced populations, stepping in where the state has faltered.
Despite the initial resilience of these communal kitchens, their sustainability is under threat as the war drags on. These kitchens, which have operated with minimal resources, are now collapsing under the weight of diminishing food supplies, government obstruction, and increased demand.
Collapse of the kitchens
Kitchens in areas such as the East Nile, South Belt, and Bahri have issued distress calls as food supplies dwindle. Kitchens set up in safer regions like Al-Jazirah, Sennar, Al-Gedaref, and Kassala are also struggling to survive. In RSF-controlled areas of Khartoum, supply lines have been cut off, while in Darfur, heavy shelling has exacerbated the crisis, turning hunger and displacement into defining features of the war.
In Bahri, the growing number of people dependent on communal kitchens is straining already limited resources. A communications blackout since February has also hindered financial support from abroad, worsening the crisis. Abdel Ghaffar Omar, an activist supporting kitchens in Bahri, explained that volunteers face harassment and looting, further reducing their ability to acquire supplies. Flooded roads and the complexities of obtaining travel permits have added further strain, with several cases of looted food supplies reported in South Bahri.
Despite the odds, some kitchens, like Sheikh Al-Amin’s in Omdurman’s Wad al-Banna district, continue to operate. Sheikh Al-Amin recounted tragic stories, including one family who perished from hunger when they were unable to access food. Similarly, in Omdurman’s Al-Wadi Street, a kitchen run by Sohenda Abdel Wahab has resumed operations after a temporary shutdown, now serving long lines of people waiting for basic sustenance.
In Kassala, kitchens are struggling to cope with the influx of displaced people from Sennar.
In Kassala, kitchens are struggling to cope with the influx of displaced people from Sennar. Wiam Al-Tayeb Fadel of the state’s Emergency Committee described the situation as dire, with food scarcity and fluctuating prices forcing many kitchens to shut down. Despite local efforts to appeal for support from merchants and through social media, these kitchens face an uncertain future.
Almahi Abdullah Ahmed, director of the emergency response rooms in Kassala, told Atar that their current operations involve distributing aid to displaced people in shelters and running a central kitchen. The rooms manage two kitchens, one in East Gash and one in West Gash, each supporting seven shelter centres. The central kitchens are located in Al-Ahlia School and the Deaf Union in the Halanga north neighborhood.
Despite their best efforts, food scarcity and fluctuating prices, especially with the growing number of displaced from Sennar and Al-Jazira, have forced many kitchens to halt operations. “We’ve grown accustomed to these disruptions when supplies and funds dry up simultaneously,” Mahy explained. “That’s why we always have a ‘Plan B’ — appealing for help via social media or reaching out to local merchants who’ve supported us in the past.”
By mid-August, 67 out of 81 kitchens in Bahri had shut down due to lack of funds, according to Bahri’s emergency rooms.
The situation has become so critical that, by mid-August, 67 out of 81 kitchens in Bahri had shut down due to lack of funds, according to Bahri’s emergency rooms. While some resumed operations by August 18, providing meals for 35,000 people daily, others are resorting to desperate measures, including cooking tree leaves to fend off starvation.
In South Kordofan, children are dying from hunger in front of helpless families, yet the government in Port Sudan continues to deny the existence of famine.
Dr Hadiya Hasballah of the Guardians Organisation, which is raising awareness of hunger in Sudan, criticised the international community for providing only 20 per cent of promised aid. Hasballah warned that the patchwork solutions in place are no longer sufficient, as nearly 4 million children under five face acute hunger. Médecins Sans Frontières has reported that 30 per cent of children screened in Zamzam Camp are severely malnourished, though Hasballah believes the actual figures are much higher.
Sudan’s acting Agriculture Minister, Abu Bakr Al-Bishri, dismissed UN claims of 755,000 people in catastrophic hunger conditions.
The UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has reported that after 500 days of the war, 25.6 million people in Sudan now face acute hunger, making it the world’s largest displacement crisis. Despite this, Sudan’s acting Agriculture Minister, Abu Bakr Al-Bishri, dismissed UN claims of 755,000 people in catastrophic hunger conditions. He stated that famine would not be declared until 20 per cent of the population was starving, while the RSF and SAF continue to blame each other for obstructing aid.
As the war continues, the humanitarian crisis in Sudan deepens, leaving communal kitchens struggling to function and millions of people teetering on the brink of starvation.
