Elkhansa, Sudanese refugee arrived to Egypt in January of 2024. She is a bilateral amputee who paints, writes and types with her left foot. ©UNHCR/Pedro Costa Gomes
A painter, taekwondo player, make-up artist, holder of three degrees, and the founder of Young Arab Women with Disabilities (YAWDA), Elkhansa defied all stereotypes, spearheading a movement in Sudan to dispel misconceptions about Sudanese women with disabilities.
Elkhansa is a bilateral amputee who lost both her hands at the age of three due to a medical error that would forever change her life and shape her into the strong-willed character we see today.
The eldest of three siblings, she was raised solely by her mother who empowered her to reach for her dreams and despite the challenges, ensured her daughter would get a proper education. She earned a bachelor’s degree and two graduate degrees, relying entirely on her left foot to take notes, study and complete her examinations. “Unlike others with disabilities, I have been blessed with education and I will never take it for granted,” said Elkhansa.
Elkhansa’s artwork was commissioned by several embassies in Sudan and while people initially shied away from booking her as a makeup artist, her talent knew no bounds.
For Elkhansa, every experience in her life was a learning opportunity, she established YAWDA, providing space for other women to share their talents and allowing them an opportunity to grow. She also worked with several organizations including Action on Disability and Development International and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Her dreams were abruptly and indefinitely put on hold in April 2023 when a power struggle between Sudan Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces escalated into a full-blown conflict. Elkhansa was one of 8 million people forcibly displaced within and outside Sudan. Amidst the multiple displacements, she continued supporting her family, taking on jobs online to pay for rent and her brother’s university tuition.
As the war progressed, Elkhansa realized that her life was at risk and with a heavy heart she left her mother and her family behind. She sought refuge in Egypt, arriving in January of 2024. She is one of over 500,000 Sudanese people who fled the war to Egypt, according to the latest figures by the Government of Egypt.
Although safe, she only felt the weight of her disability in Egypt. Elkhansa married shortly before she left Sudan but owing to financial constraints, lives separately from her husband in different areas of Cairo. She shares an apartment with other women but considers her husband her only caregiver, despite only seeing him twice a week. She yearns for the days where she can earn a living but as it stands, she has to rely on services she receives from UNHCR and hopes that one day she can advocate for people with disabilities in Egypt and globally, as she had once done in Sudan.
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter
