In Egypt, 400,000 Sudanese refugee children remain traumatised and out of school
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on The Guardian
Illustrative image · FURKAN KARAKURT · Pexels · Licence PexelsAbout 400,000 Sudanese refugee children in Egypt are reportedly enduring lasting effects from war and poverty, according to social workers. Between 50% and 70% remain out of school, while cuts in humanitarian funding are limiting access to psychosocial support, reports the Guardian Global Development Network.
About 400,000 Sudanese refugee children in Egypt are traumatised by the war and between 50% and 70% are not in school, according to social workers and psychologists cited by The Guardian. Many live in poverty, in marginalised neighbourhoods of Cairo, without residence documents and without access to the care needed to treat their trauma.
Cuts in humanitarian funding are leaving many children without support while their parents sometimes work ten hours a day for incomes that barely cover food and rent. Rajia, a clinical psychologist working with Sudanese refugee children, observes violent behaviour linked to scenes of war experienced by these children, while social worker Tala reports cases of self-harm and suicide attempts among adolescents, according to The Guardian.
Being out of school also affects children’s motivation to continue their studies. Tala reports that some of them believe school will not enable them to build their future, while the professionals interviewed describe a situation marked by isolation, fear and a lack of prospects, according to The Guardian.
