From Milan to El Fasher:
By SSAW – Support Survivors of African War
Published: November 2, 2025
On Saturday, November 1, 2025, the organization SSAW (Support Survivors of African War), in collaboration with Mediterranea Saving Humans – Milano, hosted a Solidarity and Awareness Day at Casa del Quartiere Pecetta in Milan – Zone 8.
The gathering was more than an event — it was a meeting of hearts and voices united by the same conviction, that solidarity does not end at borders.
The afternoon began with warm words from Alya Musa, Secretary of SSAW, who welcomed the participants and spoke about the importance of collective responsibility in moments of war and displacement.
Khalid Abaker, SSAW’s Italy Country Director, then presented a detailed visual report outlining the humanitarian situation in El Fasher, North Darfur — a city trapped in violence, hunger, and isolation. His presentation highlighted the organization’s efforts, the long journey of the aid container sent from Italy, and the bureaucratic obstacles that have left it blocked at Port Sudan since July.
The floor then opened for dialogue, allowing participants to share experiences, reflections, and proposals for joint action. Activists, members of the Sudanese diaspora, and local residents discussed how community networks in Europe can play a vital role in supporting people affected by the conflict.
As the evening progressed, the atmosphere shifted from analysis to connection. A solidarity dinner brought everyone together, blending cultures, stories, and hopes. What remained was a profound sense of unity, a shared understanding that compassion must be transformed into sustained commitment.
Meanwhile, far from Milan, the situation in El Fasher grows increasingly desperate. For over a year, the city has been torn apart by fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). More than 600,000 people have fled, and another 260,000 remain trapped without access to basic aid. The collapse of infrastructure, food scarcity, and violence against civilians have turned daily survival into an act of resistance.
In response, SSAW, founded by young Sudanese in Italy in 2023, continues to work relentlessly to reach those in need. The organization’s humanitarian campaign, rooted in decolonial and agroecological principles, focuses on saving lives, offering psychological support, and defending human rights. Through partnerships with groups such as Fondazione Banco Farmaceutico ETS and Mediterranea Saving Humans, SSAW has collected and shipped over €65,000 in essential goods — from medicines to food and clothing.
Yet, despite the enormous effort, that same shipment, a lifeline for communities in Darfur, remains blocked by bureaucratic red tape. Sudanese authorities have imposed customs taxes, and the required exemption from the Darfur Regional Government, Ministry of Health& Social Welfare، is still pending. “Bureaucracy cannot be applied to humanitarian aid,” members of SSAW have declared. “We are Sudanese helping our families.”
While awaiting the release of the container, SSAW is preparing alternative distribution routes through Kassala, determined not to let politics or paperwork stand between aid and the people who need it most.
In December 2025, the organization will launch a field mission to Eastern Chad, where the team, including Khalid Abaker, Mattia Rigodanza, and Sara Ubaldi, will document survivors’ stories and implement the Pre-Texts Protocol, an innovative educational and psychosocial program designed to help women and children recover from trauma through creativity and dialogue.
From Milan’s neighborhoods to the refugee camps on Sudan’s border, SSAW continues to weave a thread of solidarity that transcends distance.
The message that echoed through the Casa del Quartiere Pecetta remains clear: every act of empathy is a form of resistance, and every gesture of solidarity, a step toward survival.
See the upcoming events here
