‘We are the lost generation of Sudan’: Students in exile

As Sudan's devastating conflict grinds on, a generation of young people has seen their education shattered, with many fleeing across borders to continue their studies in exile. In neighbouring countries, students who lost homes, family members and years of schooling are trying to rebuild their futures far from home.

Lives uprooted by war

Among those who fled is a young pharmacy student whose father was killed during fighting in Sudan and who escaped to a refugee camp in the Central African Republic. Others interviewed described similar losses, including students whose relatives were killed or persecuted, and a young mother who left her small child behind in a camp so she could pursue university studies.

For students who lived in areas controlled by the Rapid Support Forces, regular schooling has been unavailable for more than three years. The disruption has left many struggling to pick up studies they were forced to abandon.

Barriers in exile

With support from the UN refugee agency, dozens of Sudanese refugees secured places at a university in the region. But studying abroad brings its own hurdles. Many were educated in Arabic and now must follow courses taught in French, a steep language barrier on top of the trauma of displacement.

Beyond the classroom, students spoke of the psychological weight of separation from family and, for some young women, added pressures around inheritance and forced marriage. More than 30 students shared their experiences, describing themselves as a generation whose schooling has been stolen by war.

Why it matters

Education is one of the quietest casualties of prolonged conflict, yet its loss shapes a country's future for decades. The determination of these students to keep learning despite enormous obstacles highlights both the resilience of young people caught in war and the importance of programmes that help refugees continue their studies, a cause that speaks directly to the mission of organisations working on education and youth support.