Ms Rachel, the popular American YouTuber, songwriter, and educator, has donated $50,000 to Sudanese American Physicians Association (SAPA) to provide aid to those in need in Sudan.
On 2 October 2025, Ms Rachel shared on her social media that she had spoken with Sudanese doctors who run SAPA and was “moved to tears.” She announced a donation of $50,000 to SAPA and expressed her commitment to continue supporting the organisation in the future. “When I was 24, I worked with Sudanese child refugees here in the US. They are one of the reasons I am Ms. Rachel today. They inspired me to become a public school music teacher,” she said.
Ms Rachel, real name Rachel Griffin-Accurso, is known for her children’s YouTube series, “Ms. Rachel” and the “Songs for Littles” brand. On her various platforms, she has been vocal about the suffering of millions of innocent children due to violence and displacement around the world, especially Gaza. She has also brought attention to the suffering of Sudanese children due to the ongoing war in Sudan.
This comes shortly after AJ+ Arabi, the social media news and storytelling project of the Al Jazeera Media Network, reported that, according to the Abu Shouk Camp Emergency Room in Al Fasher, Darfur, 95 people have died within about 40 days. Among the dead are 73 children under the age of five and 22 elderly individuals. The deaths were caused by a severe lack of basic services in North Darfur — including water, food, and other essentials, due to poor funding and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) blocking humanitarian aid in the region.
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) confirmed famine in Sudan in August 2024. It has been confirmed in 10 locations across Sudan, reaching IPC Phase 5, the highest level of food insecurity. The hardest-hit are Al Fasher’s Zamzam and the adjoining Abu Shouk camps, and the Nuba Mountains in South Kordofan. An additional 17 areas are at risk. Nearly half the population — 24.6 mn — are facing acute hunger, with 638,000 experiencing catastrophic levels of food insecurity. This means at least 20% of households face extreme food shortages, 30% of children are acutely malnourished, and two in every 10,000 people are dying daily from starvation or related causes.
Based in Plano, Texas, SAPA is a non-profit organisation founded in 2019 to provide critical medical care, food supplies and shelter to the people of Sudan. Following the war in Sudan, SAPA has played a vital role in rebuilding and transforming lives. With a committed team of doctors and healthcare professionals, SAPA has tirelessly worked to enhance healthcare access, deliver medical aid, and foster community resilience. Their efforts have significantly impacted the region, bringing about positive changes and improving the lives of many in Sudan.
Sudan is currently facing one of the world’s gravest humanitarian crises, marked by the largest displacement crisis globally, with an estimated 12 to 14 million people forced from their homes. The country is also on the brink of becoming the largest hunger crisis in recent history. All of this is a result the war that erupted on 15 April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has already claimed more than 150,000 lives.
