Dr Baraa Malik
Dr Baraa Malik is a dentist, public health researcher and youth advocate working at the intersection of education, health and ethical storytelling. Displaced by conflict, she leads a community based initiative closing the early years learning gap for children in Sudan, and works on girls’ empowerment and amplifying unheard voices through human-centred storytelling that promotes equity, dignity and change.
“This is a deeply personal story, but my interest in it goes far beyond that. The crisis in Sudan is catastrophic, yet largely invisible. Most people around the world don’t know what is happening there. Without attention, Sudanese people are not getting the help they need, especially children. Many have been killed, and those who survived carry invisible wounds with no access to professional help or proper care.
I was given a rare opportunity to give my people a voice and shine a small light on what it truly means to be a child in Sudan right now. They need the world to stop and listen. This is my way of saying: “Hello, World. This is Sudan” – told through the eyes of a beautiful six-year-old girl, my sister.
Writing this story was one of the hardest things I have ever done. As someone from an academic background, I have only ever written research-based pieces built on data. This story could not be further from that. It is about real love, real struggle and the lasting wounds of an ongoing war. Being part of the story myself made translating this experience into words almost impossible. Language felt insufficient. But I tried and I hope you can feel it.
I want readers to search for Sudan, support its people and talk about it. Your voice matters, especially to us. Time stopped for these children, but the world kept moving.”