Sudan civil servants go hungry as war claims livelihoods
Sudanese public school teacher Imad Mohammed had worked for 32 years when war broke out almost three months ago, tearing his country apart and his finances to shreds.
“We only eat one meal a day now,” he told AFP about his family of five.
“And we don’t know how long this will go on,” said the teacher from Al-Jazirah state, which has been spared the brutal fighting but has still suffered dire shortages.
Like other civil servants, Mohammed has gone without a salary since the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces took up arms against each other.
When the first blasts shook Khartoum on April 15, banks there shuttered their doors, and branches nationwide have since struggled to provide services because they are cut off from headquarters in the capital.
Since then, the only government salaries that have been paid are the army’s.
Deprived of their pay and annual holiday bonuses for the Muslim festivals of Eid al-Fitr in April and Eid al-Adha in June, around one million desperate public sector workers have been forced to survive on their savings or on social aid networks.
“What teachers and their families are going through, in both the public and private sectors, is catastrophic,” said Ammar Youssef, head of the Sudanese Teachers Committee.
The livelihood losses and descent into poverty have compounded the horrors of the war, which has already killed around 3,000 people and displaced three million.
More than 1.5 million people have fled from Khartoum alone, using whatever money they had when the fighting started, to escape the air strikes, artillery fire and street fighting that have turned the capital into a war zone.
– Collective action –
But some who were unlucky enough to have had little or no savings they could access, have been left stranded, unable to pay for expensive transport as fuel prices have surged 20-fold.
“Not only are they struggling to feed their families even once a day, but they also can’t afford to take their families to safety, away from the combat zones,” Youssef told AFP.
“State education alone employs over 300,000 people, who were already underpaid before the war,” he said, adding that the education ministry has been unreachable since the war began.
“Those who aren’t killed by a bullet will die of hunger.”
With food prices soaring, basic supplies running low and salaries halted, over half of the country’s 48 million people are in need of aid, according to the United Nations.
It ranks Sudan as one of the highest alert areas for food insecurity and warns of the need for “urgent” action from the international community.
Since the war began, a handful of government officials have held news conferences seeking to assure the public that the economy is not at risk, among them the finance minister Gibril Ibrahim, an ex-rebel commander.
The central bank announced in early July that branches in most of Sudan’s states were back in service, raising the hopes of some.
But, according to economist Mohamed al-Nayer, “the situation over the next few months is only going to get worse”.
Even before the war, Sudan’s economy was hit by triple-digit inflation.
Those struggling to make ends meet while protecting their family from the horrors of war are fed up.
“We don’t understand why the government won’t pay us what we’re owed,” civil servant Al-Sammani Mohammed told AFP.
Multiple unions, unable to receive a response from Khartoum, have banded together and warned they may take industrial action, which could further heighten tensions in Sudan.
A coalition of representatives for doctors, engineers, teachers, university professors and journalists have announced they would take “escalating measures if salaries are not paid”.
Shows
See AllAM Live
AM Live is NTV's morning current affairs show that sets the agenda for the day with insightful panels every weekday.
Business Redefined
Business Redefined is Kenya’s premier thought leadership platform for unpacking matters regarding economic and finance policy as well demystifying complex developments in the region’s capital markets.
Comedies
A collection of our premium content. Diam curabitur vehicula A collection of our premium content. Diam curabitur vehicula
Documentaries
A collection of our premium content. Diam curabitur vehicula A collection of our premium content. Diam curabitur vehicula
Entertainment
A collection of our premium content. Diam curabitur vehicula A collection of our premium content. Diam curabitur vehicula
Full Episodes
A collection of our premium content. Diam curabitur vehicula A collection of our premium content. Diam curabitur vehicula
Gumzo La Sato
Gumzo La Sato is a live social issues show that aims to create awareness about issues affecting the larger society. The discussions range from Parenting, Marital bliss and struggles, Oppression, violence, and all matters of the Heart.
Health Diary
Health Diary is a weekly show that highlights different types of diseases/conditions and seeks ways to prevent, treat/manage them. The show debunks this through real life stories and also feature specialists in different fields, to offer medical advice on the same.
Letter To My Younger Self
Letter To My Younger Self is a podcast where guests get to write a letter to their younger self, from which Maxine formulates questions to ask them during the hour-long show.
Nation Reports
Nation Reports is a weekly podcast offers an opportunity for listeners to interact with various reporters and journey with them as they unravel the biggest most emotive stories.
One Health Lens Podcast
Discussing health matters and human stories from Kenya and across Africa. We talk big picture from people to policy, ecosystems, and everything in between. Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/onehealthlens
Paradise Lost
Paradise Lost peeks through the story of Louis Otieno, the times, and everything in between.
Primetime
A collection of our premium content. Diam curabitur vehicula A collection of our premium content. Diam curabitur vehicula
Speaking of GEN Z
Speaking of Gen Z brings you entertaining but meaningful conversations about a generation that is trying to navigate through adulthood. Join hosts Michelle, Jackie and Esther as they unravel all things Gen Z.
Sport On
Sport-On is a 30-minute sports magazine show on NTV and 3 hours on NATION FM. The show seeks to give the sports “fanatics” and “funatics” comprehensive and in-depth coverage of sports both locally and internationally.
Tech-over
The extent of technological growth is beyond mere acknowledgment; it has seamlessly integrated into our daily existence. A few years ago, the notion of paying electricity bills through mobile money or recharging with 'tokens' in Kenya seemed inconceivable. Online product sales were considered distant, and artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping various facets of our lives. Amidst these technological leaps, those with a solid understanding of tech can navigate challenges, seize opportunities, and build a sustainable livelihood. Tech over Show aims to be the platform facilitating discussions among thought leaders, innovators, tech companies, and the government, addressing challenges and opportunities in Kenya's thriving tech industry.
Thamani
Thamani is a business show which is dedicated to emerging issues regarding micro, small and medium size businesses.
The Politalk podcast
This is The Politalk podcast. Here we look into the ins and outs of everything Kenyan politics. We pull no punches and have no reason to sugarcoat anything that matters to Kenyans.
The Trend
A two-hour-long live show that airs on Fridays. The show focuses on what is current in the entertainment industry, controversial and popular across all media platforms targeting those aged between 25 and 35 years.
The trend podcast
The trend podcast highlights and captures the best of banter from #TTTT segment that airs every Friday on NTV. It's the TTTT EXTRA
The Wicked Edition
The Wicked Edition with Dr. King’ori seeks to address serious issues through humour and relatable wit. It is a two-part half hour show filmed in front of a live audience
Trending
A collection of our premium content. Diam curabitur vehicula A collection of our premium content. Diam curabitur vehicula
Twende
Twende is a travel show that highlights beautiful, unique, diverse locations, people, and cultures. The show offers fresh perspectives on familiar locations and memorable experiences in new ones.
Unscripted
This Saturday evening lifestyle show lets viewers share their stories and life experiences as openly & honestly for the purpose of shifting the culture of silence.
VIP Access
VIP ACCESS is Anyiko Owoko’s YouTube and podcast show on Music and Culture dedicated to promoting Africa’s most promising talent and creatives. This podcast grants you VIP access into timeless interviews while providing a platform for rising as well as established artists across the continent. Since launching in 2018, Anyiko has interviewed over 70 African music stars.
WADR
This weekly news show aims to have all sides of debate but not be constrained by it, listen to main voices in the contest but not allow them to hold the viewers hostage, entertain debate but allow push back with all due respect.
When death do us part
In this podcast, three widowers openly speak about the process of grief, how they found themselves exposed to the emotional turmoil of losing their wives, and how society still does not know how to deal with them.
Your World
Your World is a health, wellness and variety show. It provides a platform for audiences and experts to share their experiences on how to improve or manage health issues, across Kenya and the Africa region.