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Our stories are powerful — but some stories are harder to tell than others. When our World Relief Chad team met Nadiwa, a refugee mother in Koursigue Refugee Camp, she wanted to share her family’s refugee story. Though some parts were difficult to revisit, she courageously put words to experiences that, for many of us, are unimaginable. She shared profound loss and miraculous hope. This is her story of seeking refuge.
A Refugee Story: Nadiwa’s Flight from Sudan to Chad
Nadiwa and her husband were farmers in West Darfur, Sudan, where they were raising their four children. But when war broke out, their community was plunged into violence. They made the urgent and heartbreaking decision to leave their home and flee their country.
In hopes of a safer future for themselves and their children, they quickly packed what belongings they could on the backs of donkeys. Nadiwa carried her infant in a sling on her own back, and the family began the dangerous trek toward Chad on foot.
Before they could reach the border, the worst happened. The family got caught in the crossfire of one of the countless skirmishes of the conflict. They ran for cover, and during the chaos, Nadiwa was separated from her husband. The children were split between them. While running, Nadiwa thought she felt an impact, but there was no time to stop. She had to get to safety.
When the gunfire cleared, the separated family managed to reunite. That’s when they made a horrific discovery — the impact Nadiwa had felt was a bullet striking the child on her back.
Her baby did not survive.
In the face of unspeakable tragedy, the family had to keep moving, eventually crossing the border into Chad. They were now safe from the violence of war, but other challenges lay ahead. They sought shelter where they could but had little access to food and essential services.
Nadiwa remembers her children’s hunger. They had little to eat and faced near constant illness. During this time, she gave birth to another child. Without proper nourishment, her baby was dangerously thin. Although there was a health facility nearby, the services were not free. With such limited resources, Nadiwa had to decide which of her children to treat, often forgoing her own health needs.
Nadiwa’s family was in a dire situation, uncertain of how long they could survive. But God saw them in their moment of deepest need.
Thankfully, Nadiwa attended a community awareness session where she learned about World Relief’s Koursigue Health Facility at Korsigue Refugee Camp. At the facility, we provide free primary health care to anyone in need, as well as nutrition support to children and pregnant and lactating women.
The family uprooted again, traveling over seven miles by foot and with donkeys to the camp. There, Nadiwa and her children quickly received medical care and nutritional support.
Later, as she shared her story with our team, Nadiwa proudly showed off her youngest child, Fatima. Now nine months old, Fatima was gaining weight and returning to full health thanks to the care she and her mother received from World Relief at the Koursigue Health Facility.
“I count myself as someone blessed because of the services we are receiving,” said Nadiwa.
In the wake of the unimaginable, her family is continuing on their journey towards renewed hope and healing. And Nadiwa is courageously sharing her story so more families like hers can receive the help they need.
Writing a New Story Alongside Refugees
It’s a deep privilege to be invited into stories like Nadiwa’s as we walk alongside refugee families around the world. Today, over 122 million people have been forced to flee their homes, and nearly 38 million have fled across national borders as refugees. Their stories are marked by immense trauma and loss. But that’s not where they need to end.
With support from people like you, Nadiwa is already writing a new chapter for her family: one of resilience and restoration.
Today, we’re at a crucial crossroads. As global displacement reaches historic highs, recent policy changes and funding cuts have threatened our ability to respond. But this moment presents a choice — what kind of story will we, as the church, choose to write? One shaped by retreat and indifference, or one defined by compassion, courage and faith?
At World Relief, we are leaning in. Rooted in the biblical call of Matthew 25 to feed the hungry, welcome the stranger and minister to those in physical and spiritual need, we’re committed to continuing to walk alongside families like Nadiwa’s — providing health care, nourishment and the opportunity to flourish again.
Just as Nadiwa is courageously rewriting her family’s future, we can help shape a better story for the world. Will you join us?
When you give today, you provide essential aid and services for families in crisis. Whether lifesaving medical care in refugee camps, legal aid for immigrants experiencing vulnerability in the U.S. or shelter and food for families struck by disaster, every dollar makes a difference.
Kelly Hill is a Content Manager at World Relief. She previously served as Volunteer Services Manager at World Relief Triad in North Carolina. With a background in International and Intercultural Communication, she is passionate about the power of story to connect people of diverse experiences.
Rachel Edwards is the Communications Partner on World Relief’s International Programs team. She has spent the past 12 years working alongside marginalized populations and cares deeply about seeing vulnerable communities experience whole-person flourishing. Rachel holds a journalism degree from The University of Georgia and is currently pursuing a master’s in Theology, Justice and Social Advocacy at Denver Seminary. She lives in Chattanooga, Tennessee with her husband.