Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
Over 1.1 million Sudanese refugees currently live in Egypt after fleeing conflict in Sudan, a significant increase from 300,000 three years ago, according to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). This surge has heightened the need for assistance, but available funding has remained largely unchanged since before the crisis, resulting in critical funding gaps.
UNHCR spokesperson Christine Beshay reported that monthly funding per refugee has dropped from $11 to $4, worsening an already insufficient assistance level. This decline has forced reductions in support, particularly cash assistance.
The cash assistance program, designed to help refugee families cover urgent needs like rent, food, education, and health, has received only two percent of its required funding. Consequently, the number of families receiving aid has fallen by over half, and the program may be suspended if more funds are not secured soon.
The funding shortfall has forced refugees like Nawal, a widowed mother of six, to make hard choices. Despite earning part-time income, she can only enroll three children in school, while her eldest son cares for siblings. The youngest is frequently ill. The family relies on monthly cash assistance of about $29, which is inadequate for their needs.
UNHCR noted that most families receiving cash assistance are headed by women, who may be especially vulnerable to reductions in support due to the funding shortage.