The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) announced Wednesday that it plans to raise nearly $1 billion to support millions of Sudanese children next year.
In its statement, UNICEF said it aims to secure $962.9 million to reach 13.8 million people, including 7.9 million children, by providing health, nutrition, water, education, and protection services under its 2026 Humanitarian Action for Children appeal.
The organization noted that its focus is on protecting children by ensuring essential services, preventing and treating acute malnutrition and disease, and providing safe spaces for learning, play, and recovery.
UNICEF plans in 2026 to ensure that 3.6 million children and women receive primary healthcare, including vaccinating 1.34 million children against cholera and providing treatment for 1.42 million people for cholera and other diseases.
Its plan also includes treating 633,611 children suffering from severe wasting, screening 5.6 million children for malnutrition, providing 2.4 million children with vitamin A supplements, and offering nutritional counseling to 2.07 million caregivers.
Additionally, one million children are expected to receive psychological and social support, with 846,905 children assisted due to violence or conflict, and 1.2 million children reunified with their families or placed in alternative care.
UNICEF plans to provide 1.62 million children with formal and non-formal education and distribute individual learning materials to 1.13 million children, as well as secure water access for 12 million people.
The organization warned that 825,000 children are expected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition next year, and 3.4 million children risk life-threatening diseases due to the collapse of 70% of health facilities.
It also expressed concern about rising child rights violations in Darfur and Kordofan, and increasing gender-based violence against women and girls amid the collapse of protection systems.
UNICEF stressed that its 2026 strategy focuses on life-saving interventions to ensure essential services for the most vulnerable children and families, including refugees and internally displaced people.
It warned that failure to fund the appeal could lead to catastrophic consequences, exposing malnourished children to death and millions of others to disease, violence, and education disruption.
