Sudan is facing one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. Since the war began in April 2023, millions have been forced from their homes, food systems have broken down, and communities have been dismantled. And yet despite the sevrity of this crisis, sudan has received very limited global attention.

Whilst this is happening, local groups are stepping up. Adeela, along with Elayam Centre and volunteers, helped create Emergency Response Rooms (ERRs), a grassroots network supporting people directly. These groups work quickly and stay close to communities, without the delays often seen in large aid systems.

The success of local response models is growing every day. Community kitchens alone in El Fasher are providing meals for approximately 12,000 individuals each day. Also, kitchens in Dilling and Kadugli are providing meals to their communities, while communities in Eastern Sudan continue to receive support despite being overcrowded.

Many of these support efforts are carried out by women who have taken the lead in organizing, managing, and continuing daily support to their communities.

The primary difference in this local response model is the engagement of the community in every step of the process and that local organizations and responders now demonstrate that the best way to provide assistance is through the use of local responders who have the best understanding of the needs of their communities.