
In a makeshift shelter in eastern Sudan, 14-year-old Hanim Mohamed, known as Nana, is bringing hope through rap music.
Her powerful lyrics offer solace to families displaced by the ongoing war, offering brief moments of peace amidst the chaos.
Mohamed’s music paints a nostalgic picture of life before the conflict. “When I play rap songs, everyone sings with me,” she says, her eyes lighting up with joy.
Her performances, full of energy and life, echo through the shelter as women and children join in, swaying and clapping to the rhythm.
These moments of joy defy the war that has ravaged Sudan for 21 months, leaving countless lives shattered.
The war, between General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and former ally Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, has devastated the nation.
With tens of thousands dead and over 12 million displaced, Sudan is facing the largest humanitarian crisis ever recorded, according to the International Rescue Committee.
For Mohamed’s fans, her music provides an indescribable sense of comfort.
“I feel comfort and excitement when I listen to her music,” says Deir Fathi, one of her devoted listeners.
Having fled Omdurman, Mohamed now lives in a secondary school in Port Sudan.
There, she uses rap to express her grief and memories of her home, particularly in her track “The Omdurman Tragedy.”
“Most of the songs I composed were for the place I love the most and where I grew up,” she shares. Despite the hardships of displacement, including struggles with water, Mohamed remains determined.
Her dream is to become both a surgeon and a celebrated rapper. Above all, she hopes for one thing: “The biggest wish I hope for is for the war to stop.”