For almost a year, Sudan has been ravaged by a war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) that has plunged millions of civilians into fear and chaos and forced many of them to flee their homes. People with disabilities often face even greater challenges, with the trauma of being forced to flee compounded by specific needs that are often ignored as they attempt to escape. The story of Omran, a 9-year-old boy with cerebral palsy, illustrates this reality.
A forced departure to escape the violence
Omran and his family come from Al-Geneina, in the Darfur region of Sudan. Their lives were turned upside down when Omran’s father, grandfather and several of his cousins were killed in the early days of the conflict. In the face of the escalating violence in Darfur and with the trauma already experienced, his mother Djimilla made the heartbreaking but vital decision to flee with her four children to get them to safety.
Like thousands of other people since the beginning of the conflict, they left their homes in haste, hoping to find a safe haven. Omran's family initially found shelter in deserted universities, but the increasing violence eventually forced them to leave for Chad.
An arduous and frightening journey into exile
The journey was particularly arduous for Djimilla. Omran's disability affects his muscular development and he cannot walk. Djimilla was forced to carry him on her back with her 6-month-old daughter on her shoulders for the whole of their flight into exile.
As they were crossing from Sudan into Chad, the family, along with a dozen other displaced people, were ambushed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Djimilla remembers seeing people lose their lives trying to cross a flooded wadi1 to escape the attack. In the panic, Omran's two brothers were separated from the rest of the group. For several days, the young mother walked on, not knowing if they were safe.
It was only at the end of this long journey when Djimilla and her two children reached the Aboutengué refugee camp in Chad that she was reunited with her other children who had made the rest of the journey to Chad alone. She recounts:
“Once we were all back together, I cried a lot. A mixture of emotions because I had also lost my father, my husband, my nieces and my nephews.”
Once at the Aboutengué camp, a new chapter began in Omran's life. He was soon in the care of HI's rehabilitation teams, who are now providing him with physiotherapy and postural correction sessions. These involve regular physical exercises to work on flexibility and prevent stiffness and joint deformities due to his cerebral palsy. Djimilla has noticed improvements in her son since the start of the sessions with HI:
“His hands and legs were stiff before. But HI has been doing exercises with him and now he has much more mobility in his hands, arms and legs. I really feel my child is doing better.”
This gradual improvement in the mobility of his limbs has made Omran's daily activities easier. However, life in the camp is still complex. Omran's mother hopes that with time and HI's help, Omran's health will continue to improve and she will be able to leave him with his brothers and sisters while she looks for work to support her family.
“When Omran suffers, I suffer with him. I hope he can recover, get a good education and have a fulfilling life. If he has a better life, then so will I.”
1 Watercourses with very strong currents, especially during the rainy season and very heavy rainfall. Wadi, which carry large quantities of sediment, often make travel impossible and can be fatal to those attempting to cross them.
