Over 32 million people in Sudan and South Sudan face severe hunger, warns World Vision

NAIROBI (May 21, 2025) — A sweeping multi-country humanitarian assessment reveals a deepening hunger crisis across East and Central Africa, with Sudan and South Sudan at the epicenter. More than 32 million people in two countries alone face acute food insecurity, driven by conflict, displacement, and funding shortfalls, warns Christian humanitarian organization World Vision.

The Sudan Crisis and Migration Emergency Response (SCRAMER) report, based on over 3,300 household surveys and dozens of interviews and focus groups conducted in six countries from February to March, paints a dire picture of escalating food insecurity, especially for children.

“We are staring at a humanitarian abyss,” said Simon Mane, World Vision’s national director in Sudan, who is the regional response lead. “When half the population of a country is unsure of their next meal, and hundreds of thousands are in catastrophe levels of food insecurity, it is no longer a crisis—it is a collapse. The world is standing by while millions of children in East and Central Africa are at risk of malnutrition and hunger. Many people don’t even know about it because it rarely makes the headlines.”

Key findings from the report:

• Sudan has the highest rate of severe household food insecurity among the six countries surveyed, with 38.7% of households surveyed facing severe food insecurity and more than half reporting moderate food insecurity.
• South Sudan is similarly impacted, with 57% of the population expected to face crisis-level hunger or worse between April and July 2025.
• In the Central African Republic (CAR), nearly 87% of households are using extreme coping mechanisms to survive, such as skipping meals, borrowing food, or drastically cutting portion sizes. Fewer than 1% reported low or no food-related stress, underscoring how hunger has become the norm rather than the exception.
• In Uganda, 89% of households are also relying on extreme coping mechanisms.

Across all six countries surveyed — CAR, Chad, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda — children are suffering the most. School dropout rates are rising sharply, while displacement, trauma, and exposure to violence and disease are becoming tragically routine. Girls are facing increased risks of violence and exploitation.

Despite urgent needs, access to humanitarian aid remains patchy and insufficient. Many families surveyed report receiving no assistance in the past six months. Insecurity, logistical hurdles, high transportation cost, and funding continue to block lifesaving support.

“The situation was already dire before recent global funding cuts, and they will deteriorate even further now unless the international community steps up and prioritizes the lives of children in this region. The time is now,” Mane said.

Despite these challenges, communities expressed strong hopes for peace, recovery, and a future beyond conflict. The report calls for urgent, coordinated interventions across sectors, including emergency food aid, cash and voucher assistance, child protection, and investment in access to clean water, sanitation, and health systems. It also calls for the international community to prioritize the voices of affected populations and advocate for safe access to the hard-to-reach areas.

“We need to do more than respond—we need to listen, adapt, and build lasting solutions,” said Mane. “The people affected by this crisis are not just statistics. They are agents of change and recovery. We must stand with them not only with aid, but with accountability, dignity, and hope. We must act now, across borders and sectors, before more lives are lost.”

About World Vision:
World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. Motivated by our faith in Jesus Christ, we serve alongside the poor and oppressed as a demonstration of God’s unconditional love for all people. World Vision serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender. For more information, visit worldvision.org or follow on X @WorldVisionUSA.