Sudanese Leather Workers Strive to Keep Traditional Craft Alive Amid War

Young Sudanese and artisans in Khartoum are working to revive leather production despite the impact of war, seeking to preserve an inherited craft as the industry struggles to survive.

Their efforts centre on making use of a local resource that risks going to waste. Turning hides into leather goods offers a way to retain that value while keeping traditional skills in practice.

But damage to factories and tanneries has disrupted the industry. Difficulty obtaining raw materials adds to the obstacles facing craftspeople trying to sustain production.

The revival effort is therefore about more than producing leather goods. It is also an attempt to protect knowledge passed down through generations at a time when war threatens the foundations of the trade.

For the young people and artisans involved, continuing the craft means working against those disruptions, with its future tied to access to materials and the recovery of the facilities on which it depends.