Sudanese Society Creates Hope After the War

By Khalid Al-Balloula
Amid the war tearing through Sudan, media outlets — both local and regional — remain preoccupied with tracking battlefield movements and reporting on military operations. As a result, the public is exposed mainly to scenes of destruction and conflict. What remains largely out of view, however, is the other side of the transformations quietly unfolding in areas that have been liberated or have regained stability: transformations driven by local communities with limited resources but immense determination. Here, media takes on a vital role — not only as a conduit for events, but also as a means of heralding the return of life on the ground, instilling resilience, and showcasing citizens’ ability to rebuild what has been destroyed.
In several villages, creative initiatives have emerged, restoring vitality to communities after schools and workplaces shut down. Early in the war, young people in the village of Al-Nuba organised sports tournaments to channel energy, theatrical performances discussing drug abuse and social awareness, and expanding Qur’an memorisation circles. More than 35 young men and women completed memorising the entire Holy Qur’an, while others underwent intensive training in public speaking at local mosques.
This human story is not limited to rural areas. In Omdurman, one resident expressed her joy at the reopening of “Sharif Sweets”, seeing it as a sign that life was returning to her neighbourhood. The same is true in Bahri, East Nile, and the Kalakla area. Some universities have even resumed their activities.
This vibrant movement is occurring in places that have enjoyed a degree of safety and stability since their liberation from militia control. It affirms that the spirit of life triumphs over war, that communities are more resilient than devastation, no matter how prolonged, and that they often advance far ahead of the state itself. In Al-Nuba village in Al-Gezira, for example, other community initiatives have emerged. One such initiative, “Jabr Al-Khawatir Group”, uses WhatsApp to organise a wide range of collective efforts, including:
Renting homes for patients travelling to safe cities for medical treatment.
Providing solar energy to operate water stations.
Running grain mills to ensure a continuous supply of flour.
Supporting needy university graduates in their final years of study.
Repairing schools and rehabilitating educational infrastructure.
Organising nursing training courses, in collaboration with Al-Nuba Technical College, to prepare local cadres capable of serving their communities under wartime conditions.
Despite the immense value of these initiatives, official media remains absent or covers them superficially, failing to reflect their true scale. Instead, coverage is directed primarily towards battlefield news and the activities of the executive authorities, while stories of reconstruction and the return of citizens to their villages and towns to revive what has disappeared are neglected.
Among the inspiring examples deserving more attention is that of a Sudanese woman named Ni’maat, who turned her kitchen and traditional clay oven into a lifeline for those stranded at the Argeen border crossing. She baked homemade bread daily and delivered it to those in need as they crossed the border — expecting nothing in return. Ni’maat embodies the essence of the Sudanese woman: steadfast in the face of hardship, filling gaps, and easing the burdens of her people.
The transformations quietly crafted by ordinary people are precisely what Sudan needs at this critical moment — and what the media should celebrate as an essential form of resisting destruction. For the battle is not solely a military one; it is a battle of dignity, hope, and reconstruction. This is where the true role of the media lies: to be the voice of society, its lens perceiving what lies beyond the smoke, and a platform that encourages life instead of merely recording death and ruin.

Shortlink: https://sudanhorizon.com/?p=9202