I met Zahara in mid-May, immediately after a WHH distribution of non-food item (NFI) kits to 500 households in Depa Nira IDP camp in Tawila, funded by the Sudan Humanitarian Fund (SHF). Zahara had just received one of the kits. It contained a plastic sheet to cover the roof of her shelter, two sleeping mats, two blankets, two mosquito nets, two 15-litre jerrycans, a kitchen set with pans and cutlery, six pieces of soap and a plastic basin. These are simple, everyday items. But for Zahara and her family, who have been displaced for months, they address some very immediate needs.
Zahara fled El Fasher at the beginning of November 2025 together with seven members of her family, after the fighting intensified in late October. Leaving their home behind, they first sought safety in the mountains northwest of the city, where they spent two months before continuing their journey to Tawila.
Today, Zahara and her family are trying to rebuild a sense of everyday life in Depa Nira IDP camp. Their temporary shelter, made of little more than straw and sticks, is now home to eight people: Zahara, two children under five, three other children under 18, her grandfather and an aunt. After months of displacement, this fragile structure is the place they currently call home.
Jerrycans Make a Difference in Daily Life
When the family first arrived in Tawila, they received blankets and plastic mats at the main gate. Apart from emergency water supplies, Zahara told me, this was the only direct assistance they had received – until WHH provided the NFI kit.
For Zahara, the two jerrycans are particularly valuable. Emergency water trucks reach Depa Nira camp only every two or three days, and until now, her family had no suitable containers to carry enough water back to their shelter or store it there. With the new jerrycans, they can now keep more water at hand – a simple change that makes daily life a little easier.
Food, Cloths, Healthcare: Basic needs remain unmet
Although receiving the kit brought some relief, as Zahara and I continued talking, it became clear how much her family still lacks. They have no source of income and depend on relatives who are also living in Tawila. Finding enough food is a daily struggle, and Zahara is particularly concerned about ensuring her two children under five receive adequate nutrition.
The family also urgently needs clothing – they fled with little more than the clothes they were wearing. Healthcare is another cause for concern. Although there is a clinic nearby, essential medical supplies are often unavailable when Zahara takes a sick family member there.
Hoping to return home
Despite everything she and her family have experienced, Zahara still thinks about returning to El Fasher. She told us that she would return with her family in the future if she could. Whether that will be possible, however, depends on the security situation.
As I left Depa Nira, our conversation stayed with me. The items Zahara had received that day like jerrycans, blankets, mosquito nets and cooking utensils, cannot resolve all the challenges her family faces. But after months of displacement and limited assistance, they can make daily life a little safer and more manageable.
For Zahara and many other displaced families in North Darfur, continued humanitarian support remains essential while they wait for the security and stability that could one day allow them to return home.
* The WHH is aware of the person’s full name
