KUWAIT: UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and Al-Rahma International Charity signed a grant agreement at the charity’s headquarters on Tuesday to support Sudanese refugees in Chad by providing essential relief items, benefiting 428 refugee families. During the event, Khaled Khalifa, Senior Advisor to the High Commissioner and UNHCR’s Representative to the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, stated “We value our partnership with Al-Rahma International Charity, and their continued commitment to supporting forcibly displaced people. Since the conflict in Sudan erupted, hundreds of thousands of Sudanese refugees were forced to flee into Chad, mostly with little to no resources.”
He added “They arrive exhausted and are facing extremely dire conditions amid severe funding constraints on the humanitarian response. This Zakat contribution will provide essential items to vulnerable families and help improve living conditions and restore a sense of safety.” Khalifa noted that through this contribution, UNHCR will provide essential relief items to Sudanese refugee families in eastern Chad, including blankets, kitchen sets, mosquito nets, solar lamps, hygiene supplies, and other items, helping refugee families meet their basic needs while supporting their safety, dignity, and improving their living conditions.
Khaled Khalifa and Hisham Al-Oumi signing the grant agreement.
Khaled Khalifa and Hisham Al-Oumi
For his part, Hisham Al-Oumi, Chairman of Al-Rahma International Charity, said that Al-Rahma International Charity takes pride in its humanitarian partnership with UNHCR, which reflects the deeply rooted humanitarian values for which the State of Kuwait and its charitable institutions are known. He indicated “Al-Rahma International Charity’s support for Sudanese refugee’s stems from our longstanding fraternal and historical ties with the Sudanese people and our commitment to standing by them amid the humanitarian crisis affecting millions of displaced Sudanese and refugees today,” describing the Sudan crisis as one of the world’s most complex and impactful humanitarian emergencies today, particularly regarding the conditions of refugees and displaced people in Chad.
Al-Oumi pointed to ongoing challenges in food security, healthcare, and basic humanitarian needs, as highlighted in United Nations reports issued in 2026, emphasizing Al-Rahma’s commitment to working alongside its partners to provide aid and alleviate the suffering caused by the crisis. “We also thank UNHCR for providing the opportunity to channel this contribution through the Refugee Zakat Fund, ensuring that it reaches eligible refugee and displaced families in full and enhances the humanitarian impact of the assistance provided,” he said.
Since the war in Sudan started in April 2023, some 14 million people have been forced to flee, with 9 million remaining inside Sudan, and 4.4 million across borders. Among neighboring countries, Chad hosts the second largest number of Sudanese refugees, currently sheltering over 927, 000 people. Eastern Chad continues to face growing humanitarian pressures amid the continued arrival of refugee families in urgent need of protection and assistance.
Despite funding shortfalls, UNHCR continues to work with partners to scale up humanitarian response and deliver life-saving assistance and basic services for new arrivals. UNHCR’s Refugee Zakat Fund is a trusted, Sharia-compliant distributor, enabling donors to support refugees and internally displaced families and maximize the impact of Zakat on their lives. It is subject to rigorous governance, ensuring transparency at every step, from donation to distribution of Zakat funds to eligible families among the refugees and internally displaced persons.