Sherif, 47, is a Sudanese refugee who fled to Egypt after the Sudan conflict erupted. Back in Sudan, Sherif was an IT engineer and now he opened his own pastry shop in Alexandria where he now lives with his family. ©UNHCR/Christine Beshay
Sherif has always used his engineering degree to work in jobs that left a positive impact on people’s lives. He had a rich career in Sudan, driven by his passion of serving those in need. He previously held positions in the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS), Tear Fund and Muslim Aid. Prior to leaving Sudan, he headed the IT department at a charitable hospital in Khartoum. He was proud of the work he had done, knowing that he was making a difference in people’s lives.
Sherif would frequently travel to Darfur for work assignments, taking on volunteer work whenever an opportunity arose. He was in Darfur when the war erupted in Khartoum in April of last year. Like millions of Sudanese people, his life had toppled overnight. Sherif was faced with the daunting reality of having to leave his home, not just for his own safety, but for the safety of his family. A year after the conflict, more than 1.7 million people have been forcibly displaced inside Sudan and into neighboring countries including Egypt where Sherif currently resides.
A week after the conflict broke out, Sherif, accompanied by his mother and younger brother, embarked on a perilous journey to Egypt. The road was fraught with danger, and their meager savings were stolen along the way, leaving them with nothing but their determination to survive. Nine grueling days passed before they reached the border, and another two days of uncertainty and fear before they finally set foot in Cairo.
The journey took a toll on Sherif’s mother, whose frail condition worsened due to stress and exhaustion. She needed an urgent heart procedure that depleted their remaining savings and forced them to count on distant family members for additional support.
Despite the financial strain, the family was grateful for their mother’s recovery. They settled in Alexandria, where they were reunited with Sherif’s wife and three children, who had already been living in Egypt prior to the conflict. “I’ve come to know Egypt as a student, a newly wed and now as a refugee. It’s my second home and where I feel safe, but I miss my life back home.”
A few weeks after settling in, Sherif and his family registered with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, as refugees, hoping to find protection in Egypt until conditions back home allow for a safe return. Since the war broke, the number of Sudanese refugees registered with UNHCR in Egypt multiplied by five-fold reaching a staggering 300,000 individuals. Upon registration, refugees gain access to a wide range of services offered by the Government of Egypt, UNHCR and its implementing partners across different sectors including protection, education, health, livelihoods, and basic needs.
Two months into the conflict, Sherif found himself unemployed, grappling with the loss of his livelihood, constantly reminded of the turmoil that had upended their lives. “I had been helping displaced people inside Sudan for a long time. Never would I have thought that one day I would become one,” Sherif confided, his eyes reflecting a mix of sorrow and resilience. The transition from aid provider to recipient was a humbling journey, one that tested his resolve in ways he had never imagined.
As the sole provider, Sherif turned to his skills as an IT engineer hoping his vast experience would help him secure a job in Egypt. He realized it was almost impossible to work in his field, especially due to the current economic conditions in the country and the legal restrictions to obtain a work permit. It was then that one of his Sudanese expat friends suggested he opens a small Sudanese food shop.
At first, Sherif was reluctant given his lack of experience in the field, he took a leap of faith, taking on baking and pastry-making courses while also relying on family recipes. With some encouragement from his friends, Sherif launched his food business, selling Sudanese pastries. He poured all his energy and passion into it, determined to make it a success. “I really thought the situation would calm down and it would only be a matter of months before we were back home, but it has been over a year now and we have to adapt to our new lives”
Currently, Sherif uses his business as a platform to raise awareness about the refugee crisis in Sudan and to support fellow Sudanese refugees in need, offering them employment opportunities and a sense of community. Sherif’s shop became more than just a business, it became a symbol of hope and resilience for the Sudanese community in Egypt.
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