TWO YEARS OF WAR

12 MILLION DISPLACED
A DECLARED FAMINE

You can help.

Sudanese volunteer networks, known as the Emergency Response Rooms (ERRs), are delivering lifesaving aid to millions of people caught in war and famine.

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  • Humanitarian crisis in Sudan: What is happening?

    Sudan is facing one of the world’s worst humanitarian catastrophes. More than two years of conflict have displaced nearly 12 million people from their homes and resulted in extreme hunger and the spread of preventable disease, including cholera and measles. Fighting continues to result in death, destruction of essential infrastructure, and lost livelihoods for families across the country.

  • Who is fighting?

    The conflict in Sudan broke out in April 2023 between two previously aligned factions of the military—specifically the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)—and is perpetuated by involvement from international actors. Smaller armed groups also take part in the conflict. Civilians have experienced human rights abuses, including gender-based violence, torture, and death. In January 2025, the Unites States concluded that a genocide is ongoing in Sudan.

Who are the ERRs, and why do they matter?

The Emergency Response Rooms (ERRs) are community-led volunteer networks that emerged in response to the conflict in Sudan. Made up of Sudanese citizens, many of them young people, the ERRs organized locally to meet urgent needs when formal systems collapsed. They coordinate support across neighborhoods and regions, identifying needs, mobilizing volunteers, and delivering assistance quickly and transparently. Because they are embedded in the communities they serve, ERRs can reach people and places that international agencies often cannot. This grassroots model is grounded in Sudan’s long tradition of mutual aid, inspired by the principle of nafeer, meaning “collective action” in Arabic. It reflects a culture of solidarity and self-reliance, with Sudanese communities leading their own humanitarian response.

Latest News

  • Nicholas Kristof Names Mutual Aid Sudan Coalition as 2025 Holiday Impact Prize Honoree

    Mutual Aid Sudan Coalition will receive $380,000 award plus reader donations and $1 million match from José Andrés and the Longer Tables Fund

    Press Release

  • Gifts That Save Lives

    November 22, 2025, New York Times Opinion column by Nicholas Kristof highlighting the 2025 Holiday Impact Prize

    Read More

How You Can Help 

Mutual Aid Sudan Coalition (MASC) was created to make it possible for global supporters to give directly to Sudanese responders leading life-saving work on the ground. When you donate through MASC, your support goes directly to the ERRs.

Funds are managed by Proximity2Humanity (P2H), a non-profit founded by experienced humanitarians. Meet our team here and our Advisory Council here. P2H combines deep relationships in Sudan with proven expertise in managing and verifying programs in complex environments. Learn more at Proximity2Humanity.org.

MASC is committed to channeling funding for mutual aid that is:

  • Direct: Funds go straight to frontline responders without added layers.

  • Cost-effective: $0.95 of every $1 reaches local actors.

  • Fast: Funds typically reach communities within two weeks.

Our Recent Impact

  • Outdoor cooking setup with large covered pots on wood-burning stoves, surrounded by rustic elements.

    Communal Kitchens

    With support from MASC, the ERRs have fed over 900,000 people at communal kitchens across the country and provided over 400,000 people with food baskets.

    Read more
  • A worker in a bucket lift fixing overhead power lines on a utility pole, surrounded by a group of people, under a cloudy sky.

    Infrastructure Projects

    Specialized volunteers repaired electrical infrastructure in Ombdurman and Nyala, restoring power for lighting and district water systems.

    Read more
  • A crowded outdoor scene in a rural setting with many people sitting on the ground, including children and adults in colorful clothing. Several people stand and walk around, and there are tents or makeshift shelters in the background. The area appears to be a community gathering or aid distribution site.

    Emergency Evacuations

    ERRs provide emergency transportation, protection, and shelter to evacuate civilians during armed clashes. In October 2024 with support from MASC, the ERRs evacuated over 1,000 people from Al Fasher, Darfur, and provided shelter and food to evacuation centers in Gadarif and Kasala.

    Read more
  • Healthcare professionals and patients inside a temporary medical tent with beds and medical equipment, including a woman taking notes and people attending to patients.

    Women’s Response Rooms

    Women’s Response Rooms were initiated as an act of solidarity among women, and with a desire to support the special needs of women and children during this crisis. These rooms serve as safe havens for psychosocial support, reproductive and maternal healthcare, and, critically, the documentation and monitoring of violations against women during the war.