A tale of resilience: Hachim and Ayad’s journey from Sudan to Farchana in Chad

Five years ago, in the university halls, Hachim, a 28-year-old mathematics and physics student, met Ayad, a 21-year-old agriculture student. Their bond quickly blossomed into love, leading to their marriage in 2022. The couple eagerly planned to start a family, but their dreams were shattered in June 2023 when war erupted in El Geneina, forcing them to flee their home.

During their escape to Chad, amidst the chaos, Hachim and Ayad were tragically separated. Hachim was shot in the foot by armed men. Strangers showed immense kindness, transporting him to Chad on a donkey, ensuring his survival. Ayad's journey was equally perilous; she sustained shoulder injuries from a fall while making her way to Chad.

In a twist of fate, they found each other again in a hospital in Chad. After nearly a year of recovery, Hachim’s conditions stabilized, allowing them to be relocated from the border to the Farchana refugee site before the rainy season.

Upon their arrival in Farchana at the end of May 2024, Hachim and Ayad wasted no time in transforming their shelter into a home. Within two weeks, they crafted walls from blue sheeting and woods. Hashim shared their aspirations, “In Ambelia transit site, we lived in makeshift shelters made of hay, clothes, and wood. There was no privacy or space. Now, we have our own house, we want it to feel like a home where we can start a family. We plan to add a kitchen and a living room area in the yard and replace the walls of the house with bricks after the rainy season.”

Ayad, the primary builder of their new home, has amazed Hachim with her strength and resilience, “Ayad is truly amazing, and I hope to fully recover soon to help her more.” 

Thanks to the generous support of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Hachim and Ayad have found a sense of normalcy and peace in Farchana refugee site. They are now ready to embark on their journey of starting a family, a statement of their resilience and hope, after their perilous journey to Chad.