My dream is to become an engineer. I've had this dream since I was little and I will fight for it; I will never give up.
Sudan has been ravaged by a brutal civil war since April 2023. More than 12 million people have been forcibly displaced³. Among these is Yes, a teenager from El-Fasher, Sudan, rescued in August 2025. Yes, 18, should be in his last year of secondary school, hoping to study at university. Instead, he had no choice but to flee forced conscription by paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces, who are carrying out mass executions. Yes learned English from YouTube, and whenever his mother called him for dinner, he’d answer “Yes!” until everyone in his neighbourhood started calling him that, too.
This is Yes’ story, in his own words.
I want to let the world know what is going on in El Fasher [capital of North Darfur]. Because we are Sudanese and citizens face a lot of difficulties now. And it is such a terrible situation. I don’t know why the world does not care about such a situation of war time. People are suffering a lot because there is no way out of the region. It is under control of the Rapid Support Forces [a paramilitary force which has been fighting Sudan’s military for control of the country since April 2023].There is no way for food to get in there. Now people die hungry. The situation in the camp is so dirty that there are many diseases. Schools are closing. And even if you want to learn just by yourself, there is no internet. So people stay without education.
Killing is a normal thing there. When somebody dies, it’s a normal thing now. Because there is no security people, just citizens by themselves. If I hadn’t run away, the Rapid Support Forces would have arrested me and forced me to be one of them. [Ed’s note: the RSF have been accused of war crimes.]
I decided to find a way to solve the problems we face, my family and I. So I got the ambition that one day I will do my best to go to Europe to have basic education that will serve my future. What we are looking for is education. When somebody becomes well-educated, they will give a hand to society. My dream is to become an engineer. I’ve had this dream since I was little and I will fight for it; I will never give up.
