Sudanese entrepreneurs showcase spirit of resilience at gateway festival

From exotic skin shoes to handcrafted perfumes, event gives a glimpse of Sudanese creativity

- Waad Barakat [e-mail]

Against the backdrop of conflict and displacement, Sudanese entrepreneurship is not only surviving but thriving - in the UAE.

Since the eruption of violence in Sudan in 2023, a growing number of Sudanese nationals have sought refuge in the Emirates, carrying with them their culture, creativity, and an unshakeable will to rebuild.

Among them is Rayan Anas, the founder of Zuada, a brand centred around a bold new product — Dukhn, a Sudanese-flavoured millet. When Rayan first arrived in the UAE in 2023, she and her husband had nothing. “We came with nothing when we left Sudan three months after the conflict started,” she recalled.

But instead of giving up, Rayan began closely observing the market. “Sudanese perfumes, Sudanese clothing — those were already here. But no one had tried flavoured Dukhn,” she said, referring to her drink which comes in unconventional flavours like frankincense, coffee, pistachio and lotus. “They don’t believe we started the business after the war,” she added.