In our faith, Ibrahim means “the father of a nation.” There are six Ibrahims from my family in this story. Four of them are dead.
On Christmas Day 2023, my father, Ibrahim, told me we lost his brother, my uncle, Mohamed Imam Mahmoud. He was the seventh person in my family to die in the first year of the most recent war in my native Sudan.
I learned the news about my uncle Mohamed while I was in India with my uncle Araki Tibin and cousin Ibrahim Tibin as they prepared for surgery. Uncle Araki was on dialysis when the most recent war in Sudan began. With the collapse of an already fragile health system in the country, by the time he reached safety, both his kidneys had failed. My cousin Ibrahim donated a kidney to his father, and thankfully, they both survived, but I cannot say the same for more than 16 of my family members, including children, who have died so far in this war. There are no words to describe this complete devastation, and I am not unique in this.
About the author
Emtithal “Emi” Mahmoud
Emtithal “Emi” Mahmoud is a Sudanese-American activist and humanitarian. Named one of BBC’s 100 most inspirational women, the award-winning poet, author and investment strategist advocates for refugees and disadvantaged communities worldwide. An expert in women, peace and security, Mahmoud draws on deep experience to amplify marginalized voices.The young TED speaker has worked with former U.S. President Barack Obama, the Dalai Lama, the World Bank, the World Economic Forum, Google, the United Nations, and more. For more info, visit https://emi-mahmoud.com/.
