Beyond providing immediate relief to conflict-ridden regions, Saudi Arabia aims to make an enduring impact (athar), injecting new life and hope into people impacted by crises.
To this end, the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) launched the Saudi Voluntary Program in Sudan (Athar) to alleviate the suffering of hundreds of thousands of people through multiple voluntary medical projects that offer immediate life-saving treatments, enhance capacity, and offer economic training in the health fields to build long-term resilience.
Expanded Humanitarian Footprint in Sudan
Driving the News: KSrelief Supervisor-General Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah announced the launch of the Athar Program in Sudan on October 14, 2026, reported the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
The Big Picture: According to Al Rabeeah, Athar Program marks a key humanitarian initiative for the people of Sudan, designed to mitigate humanitarian suffering and expand training and economic empowerment in the health sector and other fields.
By the Numbers:
- 200 volunteer projects.
- Over 58,000 surgical procedures.
- 600,000 beneficiaries.
Why It Matters: The conflict in Sudan, which broke out in April 2023, has triggered the world’s largest humanitarian and displacement crisis. As of May 2026, the conflict has left more than 33.7 million Sudanese in desperate need of humanitarian assistance, while over 15 million people have been displaced, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
Athar: A Lasting Impact in Sudan
State of Play: In its first edition, Athar Program implemented 194 projects, benefiting 507,934 people in Sudan. The projects involved specialist teams examining patients and performing surgeries across various disciplines.
Blindness Prevention
Through the Noor Saudi Volunteer Program and the Ebsar volunteer project for school health, Athar Program provided services to the largest number of beneficiaries under the program’s first edition. The Noor initiative implemented 125 projects and provided other services such as cataract-removal surgeries, medical examinations, and clinics. Meanwhile, Ebsar implemented 30 projects.
Specialized Surgery
Under Athar’s first edition, 32 projects were implemented, in addition to 2 projects under the Saudi Pulse volunteer initiative. Surgeries included urological, neurosurgical, vascular, and cataract-removal procedures. Furthermore, Athar concluded its volunteer medical program for neurosurgery, pediatric, and vascular surgery in Port Sudan, where the medical volunteer team examined 421 cases and performed 73 surgeries.
Prosthetics and Rehabilitation
Athar implemented a voluntary medical project that provided prosthetics and rehabilitation services. Moreover, it implemented 3 medical-clinic projects in pediatrics, nephrology, and neurology, in addition to one voluntary first-aid training project under the “Life Ambassador” initiative.
Athar’s Ambitious Plans
Between the Lines: Athar sets its sights on a massive expansion under its second edition, targeting a total of 563,180 beneficiaries under 200 projects. These include:
- 140 projects under the Noor initiative for eye operations.
- 6 projects under the Saudi Pulse volunteer project for cardiac surgery and catheterization.
- 3 projects under the Saudi Sama’a Volunteer Program for cochlear implants and hearing rehabilitation.
- 45 projects under the specialized surgeries programs, covering prosthetic limbs, general surgery, maxillofacial surgery, ear, nose, and throat surgery, cosmetic and reconstructive surgery, orthopedics, neurosurgery, urology, and endocrine surgery.
Saudi Arabia’s Volunteer Push
The Context: The Athar Program marks a further expansion of KSrelief’s international volunteer work, with 1,471 volunteer programs implemented in 61 countries and a total of 2,883,295 beneficiaries and 276,283 surgical procedures. Moreover, KSrelief’s Saudi International Volunteer Portal has registered 84,745 volunteers.
Zoom In: Under the Vibrant Society pillar of Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia targeted 1 million annual volunteers by 2030. However, the Kingdom surpassed this milestone four years ahead of schedule, registering 1.2 million volunteers by 2024.
The Catalyst: The National Transformation Program is the driving force behind empowering the non-profit sector and honing the skills and experiences of individuals, hence driving a 30-fold increase in volunteerism in the Kingdom. These efforts are streamlined through the National Volunteer Portal, which offers an easy-to-use system to find suitable volunteer opportunities, issue licenses, and regulate private volunteer clubs and centers.
Saudi Support for Sudan
Go Deeper: In line with its role as the premier anchor of humanitarian stability, Saudi Arabia has provided more than $3.2 billion in financial, economic, and emergency support for Sudan. This encompasses 359 projects covering various humanitarian and developmental sectors, such as budget support, education, water and sanitation, health, food security, industry and mining, financial and banking services, agriculture, and energy.
The Anchor: KSrelief spearheads the Kingdom’s humanitarian efforts in Sudan, delivering medical supplies, emergency shelter, and multi-phased food security programs to millions of displaced families and vulnerable communities across various Sudanese states. According to its latest data, KSrelief has implemented 287 projects with a total cost of $196.7 million.
The Bottom Line: The Athar Program aims to leave a lasting legacy in Sudan, fostering robust healthcare and infrastructure systems to ease the humanitarian suffering of the Sudanese people. It further underscores Saudi Arabia’s unwavering commitment to humanitarian aid, establishing its status as an active global humanitarian actor.
