A STUDENT who escaped war in Sudan and journeyed for four months to get to England and has started a masters course at Warwick Business School.
Amin Elsheikh, from Khartoum, made the epic journey, dodging bullets and surviving arrest to start his course.
The 27-year-old had to flee from his home in the capital when the civil war broke out between Sudan’s military and a paramilitary group in April last year.
Rebel militia soldiers blocked all routes out of the city so Amin was forced to go through a dozen check points. He was arrested and held because soldiers found a few US dollars on him.
At one point his bus driver had to swerve out of gunfire and he then made a 15-hour journey cross-country to the Ethiopian border.
“Even when we got to the border crossing at Gallabat it was unsafe,” Amin said. “There were large crowds and a collective sigh of relief when we departed again towards Gondar in Ethiopia. Looking back on it, I feel lucky to be alive but millions still stuck in Sudan are not so lucky. The situation is dire. Some of my family remain in the country and in recent weeks I have lost contact with them because the militia have decided to cut all communication networks in the areas they control.”
In the hurry to escape Khartoum, Amin was not able to collect his passport from the visa application centre and had been travelling on expired documents.
After a two-month battle to rescue his passport from the capital he finally made is way to Warwickshire.
Four months after he had left his home, Amid arrived at the University of Warwick and started his full-time masters course the next day.
Amio, who has a Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Khartoum, said he was extremely thankful to Warwick Business School for its response during his ordeal.
Amid had been scheduled to start his MBA in September 2024, but when the war broke out the school agreed to bring his course entry forward and top up his scholarship.
“To provide me with a scholarship in my hour of need was a truly wonderful gesture.
“My heart is still at home in Sudan, and I would love to return and help rebuild my country. But at the moment the war is getting worse and the country is on the verge of famine.”
