Youth Efforts Toward Recovery: Youth Initiatives Restore Khartoum's Splendor| Sudanow Magazine

Khartoum, (Sudanow) — The city of Khartoum has long remained the beating heart of Sudan and its ideal capital, embracing citizens from various states to serve as a sanctuary for their dreams and a catalyst for their development and prosperity. However, like other regions, it has suffered the woes of war and faced extensive destruction, including a significant collapse of infrastructure across various sectors. This necessitated an impactful stand by its people to return the favor and erase the scars of war from the beloved capital. Consequently, the "Khartoum is Green" initiative and other youth-led movements emerged to confirm the deep bond between Khartoum and its youth, highlighting how they have contributed to its reconstruction through their efforts and resources to return it to a state better than it was before.

To shed light on these initiatives and their impact on the youth, Sudanow met with the persevering young man Mujtaba Rizq an architect, graduate of the Faculty of Architecture, a "loyal student of the University of Khartoum," and founder of both the University of Khartoum Cleaning Initiative and the Khartoum is Green initiative, to learn about the outcomes of these movements and the spread of hope among the youth to aid in rebuilding their homeland.

Mujtaba began his remarks by saying: "The idea originated in early January 2026, when I shared a video with my friends on social media in which I asked: Why are there no fruit-bearing trees in our streets and neighborhoods? And how can we plant more of them?"
From this question grew the idea, implemented with the participation of hundreds of young men and women who were eager to volunteer with me. They began working on planting trees on Al-Sitteen Street and Nile Street, and we will continue planting one thousand fruit trees across all Khartoum streets.

Mujtaba added to Sudanow: "Initially, we faced difficulties in coordination and organizing the work, but we strove hard and managed to attract the attention of officials from the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Agriculture, and several specialists, until our numbers exceeded 1,000 young men and women."

Mujtaba concluded his remarks by saying: "The initiative is now at the height of its success. No matter how much I describe it, I cannot express the amount of joy and strength the youth feel. We are now imagining how the street will look after a year, and what the state of Sudan will be. Everyone has become a participant in this effort."
"We have now planted more than 72 fruit trees, 75 shade trees, and 240 ornamental seedlings, and work is still ongoing. When a person works for reform and strives with all their heart to rebuild their homeland, a miracle occurs, and they find help from sources they never expected."

From a psychological perspective, voluntary work represents a form of group therapy that frees youth from feelings of helplessness and despair, instilling in them hope, confidence, and meaning. Therefore, it can be said that youth participation in reconstruction does not only build stone, but builds the human being as well.

Sudanow also spoke with Dr. Ibrahim Al-Turabi, a writer and psychologist, who said: "Youth play a major role in strengthening national belonging, resisting frustration and despair, and transforming negative energies into beneficial positive projects."

He added: "Voluntary work, as a gateway for youth participation, is considered one of the most important practical mechanisms through which youth can effectively contribute to the reconstruction of Sudan. Voluntary work does not require massive capabilities as much as it requires sincere will and a sense of responsibility."

Dr. Al-Turabi emphasized that the psychological benefits of voluntary work for youth are not limited to society but extend to the youth themselves, providing deep educational values, especially in a society that has endured harsh conditions like Sudanese society. These benefits include:
* Strengthening the Sense of Belonging and Identity: When a young person participates in serving their community, they feel they are an important and influential element with a real role in their homeland. This sense enhances national belonging, strengthens the connection to the surrounding environment, and makes them more keen on the stability and progress of society.
* Boosting Self-Esteem and Self-Confidence: Many youth suffer from frustration, unemployment, and loss of hope due to economic and political conditions. When a young person engages in voluntary work and sees the results of their efforts on the ground, a sense of achievement and the ability to give is generated, raising self-esteem and boosting self-confidence.
* Alleviating the Psychological Effects of War and Trauma: A large number of Sudanese youth have suffered from severe psychological effects due to violence, displacement, and the loss of loved ones. Voluntary work is an effective means of psychological recovery because it directs thinking toward helping others instead of being absorbed in personal pain, creating positive feelings such as hope and satisfaction.
* Developing Life and Social Skills: Voluntary work provides youth with the opportunity to interact with others and work within teams, developing communication, leadership, problem-solving, and responsibility-taking skills. These skills benefit them not only in community work but also in their professional and personal lives.
* Building Healthy Social Relationships: Through voluntary initiatives, youth meet new friends who share the same values and goals, expanding their social circles and reducing feelings of isolation and loneliness.
* Satisfying the Need for Meaning and Purpose: One of the most important psychological needs for a human is to feel that their life has value and meaning. Voluntary work grants youth this feeling; a young person realizes their effort contributes to saving a family, educating a child, or bringing life back to a destroyed neighborhood, feeling that their existence is influential and important.
* Enhancing Psychological Resilience: Participating in facing community challenges grants youth a greater ability to adapt to pressures and difficulties, teaching them patience, persistence, and positive thinking—all essential elements for mental health.

Dr. Al-Turabi stated: "For youth to perform their full role in reconstruction, it is necessary to:
* Support youth initiatives from the state and society.
* Establish centers for training volunteers.
* Provide platforms for organizing voluntary work.
* Integrate youth into national development plans.
* Focus on psychological and social support for youth affected by war. When youth find care and guidance, they transform into a formidable force capable of effecting real change."

In conclusion, Dr. Al-Turabi noted: "Rebuilding Sudan is not an easy task, but it is possible if sincere will is present and the energies of the youth are optimally invested. The youth are the real hope for the nation’s renaissance, and voluntary work is the bridge that connects them to their society."

The future of Sudan begins with the arms of its youth and their hearts that believe the homeland can rise again.

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