The Darfur region in Sudan is one of the world’s hotspots: massive violence, displacement, and forced migration are part of daily life. Many people are therefore fleeing to neighboring Chad. There, we are now supporting a school.
By Simon Bethlehem
Bonn, November 19, 2025 – In recent days, one of the bloodiest conflicts of the 21st century has at least briefly made it into German news coverage. After an 18-month siege, Al-Fashir, the capital of North Darfur, was captured by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Mass executions, rape, torture, and displacement: the threat of genocide looms, and hundreds of thousands of people are on the run.
Yet none of this is new. Similar घटनाएँ already took place last year in Al-Geneina, the capital of West Darfur. In April, the Zamzam refugee camp near Al-Fashir was attacked and systematically destroyed.
Despite this, the Darfur conflict—with its millions of victims—barely registers in Central European public awareness: too complex, too far away, with too little direct impact on Europe.
Together with the organization Darfur-Hilfe, which has been active in the region for over 20 years, we are now launching a project for displaced children in the Chadian-Sudanese border town of Tiné: the expansion of a school.
A conflict with a long history
Darfur was already in the global spotlight in 2003/2004. At the time, Sudan’s president Omar al-Bashir armed the infamous Arab militia known as the Janjaweed after years of tensions and unleashed them on villages of Black African communities. They murdered, raped, looted, and burned indiscriminately. Even then, the term genocide was used. Although al-Bashir was indicted by the International Criminal Court, he was never brought to justice, as Sudan did not hand him over.
International peacekeeping forces deployed to the region were also unable to resolve the conflict. At its core are systemic neglect of peripheral regions, disputes over land, and natural resources. The Sudanese government further ethnicized the conflict, framing it as a struggle between Arab nomads and Black African farmers.
When al-Bashir was overthrown in 2019 and a democratic government briefly took power, there was a glimmer of hope for Darfur. However, with the outbreak of civil war in April 2023, the conflict reignited with brutal intensity. The RSF, led by former Janjaweed commander Hemeti, is now fighting against government forces under President al-Burhan.
External actors have since become involved: Gulf states, Egypt, Turkey, as well as China and Russia support one or the other side—directly or indirectly—thus prolonging the violence.
Great hardship, displacement, and flight
Across Sudan, around 13 million people are currently displaced, according to the United Nations, and approximately 30 million are in need of humanitarian assistance. Famine has been declared in parts of Darfur. Almost all schools are closed due to the ongoing fighting, and even medical facilities can barely continue their work.
Most displaced people flee from one hotspot of violence to another within the country, only to be uprooted again and again. Even refugee camps offer little safety. As a result, more and more people are fleeing to neighboring Chad.
Since the outbreak of the civil war, around 900,000 Sudanese have found refuge there. Following the events of 2003, about 400,000 people had already arrived—and many of them remain to this day.
Most of them live in semi-desert areas just across the border, in camps established by the United Nations. Their shelters usually consist of simple tents or self-built huts made from dry branches and plastic sheeting. Living conditions are catastrophic, and the harsh, almost inhospitable environment offers little opportunity for self-sufficiency.
Project location: Tiné
The town of Tiné in Chad is not a typical place of this kind. Twenty-five years ago, it was a small border post with only a few hundred inhabitants. Today, it has grown into a city of more than 100,000 people.
Many residents are displaced people from Darfur who have been living there for years. Others have come from different parts of Chad and other African countries. The dynamics of displacement and aid have turned Tiné into a vibrant hub with a large market, trade, and economic opportunities. Just across the border—separated only by a wadi—lies its sister town, Tiné-Sudan, in West Darfur.
Every day, more refugees from Darfur arrive in Tiné. They either stay with relatives or spend a few weeks in the transit camp in Tiné before being relocated to one of the official camps in the surrounding area.
The Kefah School
The Kefah School, run by Darfur-Hilfe, was founded in 2004. What began with just two classrooms has grown to 17. Around 1,200 students attend the school, which offers both primary education (grades 1–6) and secondary education (grades 7–9), as well as a kindergarten.
Some classrooms are still very makeshift: walls made of branches and plastic sheeting with straw roofs. Other permanent structures are in poor condition. Overall, there has long been far too little space. In most classes, around 80 children are taught at the same time.
The Grünhelme project
During our project visit in April, we discussed with the school management and Darfur-Hilfe the construction of six new classrooms, two kindergarten rooms, and new sanitation facilities as a first step. The local school authority is also involved, even though the school is not formally under its jurisdiction, as it follows the Sudanese curriculum.
The city administration has already granted the necessary permits, so construction can begin in mid-December.
As in all our projects, we aim to closely involve the school community in Tiné: parents will help us build the new classrooms for their children.
This project is particularly close to our hearts, as Darfur is truly one of the world’s crisis hotspots—one that receives far too little attention and is quickly forgotten.
We are grateful for any support!
According to the United Nations, around 13 million people are currently displaced within Sudan, and approximately 30 million are in need of humanitarian assistance. Famine has been declared in parts of Darfur. Almost all schools are closed due to the fighting, and medical facilities can barely continue their work.
Most displaced people flee from one hotspot of violence to another within the country, only to be displaced again and again. Even refugee camps offer little safety. As a result, more and more people are fleeing to neighboring Chad.
Since the outbreak of the civil war, around 900,000 Sudanese refugees have arrived there. After 2003, about 400,000 had already come—and many of them remain to this day.
Most live in semi-desert areas just across the border, in camps set up by the United Nations. Their shelters are usually simple tents or self-built huts made of dry branches and plastic sheeting. Living conditions are catastrophic, and the harsh environment offers almost no opportunities for self-sufficiency.
Project location: Tiné
The town of Tiné in Chad is not a typical refugee settlement. Twenty-five years ago, it was a small border post with only a few hundred inhabitants. Today, it has grown into a city of over 100,000 people.
Many residents are displaced people from Darfur who have lived there for years. Others have come from different parts of Chad and other African countries. The local economy, driven by displacement and aid, has turned Tiné into a vibrant hub with a large market, trade, and economic opportunities. Just across a wadi lies its twin town, Tiné-Sudan, in West Darfur.
Every day, more refugees from Darfur arrive in Tiné. They stay with relatives or in the local transit camp for a few weeks before being relocated to one of the official camps in the surrounding area.