The DARAJA & AI for Sudan

The Crisis in Sudan:
– 48 million people affected
– 12–15 million displaced by war
– Sudan faces compounding risks: conflict, climate disasters, hunger
– Extreme weather worsens already fragile conditions
– Weather data exists, but people can’t access or understand it
– 67% of households severely affected by extreme weather

The warning problem:
– Lack of Access: 61% of communities receive NO weather
– Lack of Clarity: 39% can’t understand warnings due to jargon, language, or literacy
– Lack of Trust: Information often feels irrelevant or disconnected from reality

DARAJA & AI for Sudan focuses on the use of AI to support the dissemination and communication of extreme weather early warnings to communities in the conflict zone of Sudan. It tackles issues of language and literacy barriers across 11 Sudanese states, the need for the rapid, predictable creation of relevant, actionable forecast and early warning information customised to geographic and demographic groups across Sudan, a nation in conflict and in famine, where there is endemic vulnerability. Challenges DARAJA & AI is solving:
– Fragmented weather agencies due to conflict ➝ International partnerships
– Low internet access and poor phones ➝ Offline-capable content
– Language/literacy diversity ➝AI voice, visuals, community
– testers
– Trust & Ethical risks ➝Community co-design, inclusive governance, local safeguards

The overall beneficiaries of DARAJA & AI for Sudan are the same beneficiaries as the target groups for the DARAJA Sudan Emergency Weather and Early Warning Service – the entire climate and conflict-stressed nation of Sudan and its 48 million people, including the estimated 12- 15 million IDPs. We plan to reach them through our confirmed partnerships with ZAIN Sudan and MTN Sudan. Specific target groups and target locations within the overall population where DARAJA and AI for Sudan will be tested are: Managil, Agig, Alfao, Alrahad, Addaba, Sodery, and Addamer.