Sudan refugee students supported by DAFI scholarships

Since the war in Sudan erupted in April 2023, more than 14 million people have been displaced, creating the world's largest displacement crisis. Amid this conflict, refugee and internally displaced students like Sarah Tekhlu and Azhari Ibrahim have continued their higher education through the DAFI programme, a scholarship initiative backed by the UNHCR-Mastercard Foundation partnership and run by Windle Trust International. The programme covers tuition and living costs, and provides mentoring, leadership training, and peer support. Sarah, an Eritrean refugee studying information management at Comboni College of Science & Technology in Khartoum, and Azhari, displaced from North Darfur to Port Sudan and studying civil engineering at the University of Kordofan, both credit the scholarship with enabling them to continue their studies and maintain hope. They emphasize the importance of education for rebuilding their communities and call for peace as the only solution to Sudan's crisis.