UNICEF, Germany Launch Safe Spaces for 240,000 Sudanese Children

UNICEF and the German government announced a €30 million partnership to establish 130 Makanna child-friendly spaces in Sudan, reaching 240,000 conflict-affected children, the organization’s website reported. These centers will provide trauma counseling, education, and safe play areas, alongside integrated water and sanitation services.

With only 13% of Sudan’s 19 million school-aged children enrolled in school, the initiative addresses critical gaps. Hundreds of schools have been damaged or repurposed as shelters amid ongoing conflict. The program includes e-learning modules to help children catch up on missed education.

“Education is a lifeline in crisis,” said UNICEF Sudan Representative Sheldon Yett, emphasizing the project’s dual focus on learning and mental health. Germany’s contribution, channeled through KfW Development Bank, totals €50 million to date.

Alena Kern of the German Embassy called the project “a key investment in resilience,” targeting communities where displacement and resource shortages persist.