Photo credit, Vinícius Júnior
In a dark room in Cairo, a 13-year-old boy looks up at a television screen, barely blinking.
The screen flashes and Vinícius Júnior, Real Madrid's superstar winger, appears, speaking directly to the young boy in Arabic: "Zaher, mahaba" - Hello Zaher.
Zaher barely moves, his eyes wide open, glued to his favorite footballer.
We first met Zaher a year ago, in the ruins of Khartoum, Sudan's capital. He was a shy, reserved little boy, scarred by war – one of millions of children whose lives have been upended since the country's army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary force, began fighting in 2023.
According to UNICEF, the United Nations children's organization, more than 17 million children need humanitarian assistance in Sudan. UNICEF says it has verified that at least 4,300 children were killed or maimed, but estimates the real figure is much higher.
Zaher had lost both his legs in a drone strike. Without sufficient access to specialized care, he dreamed of the day when he could walk again and play football again.
More than a year later, as we enter an apartment in the Egyptian capital, Zaher greets us with a warm embrace. His mother, Habibah, also hugs us.
The shy, reserved boy we remember is almost unrecognizable. He is confident, mischievous and always smiling. And he stands proudly on his two new prosthetic legs.
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Cairo has been his home for almost a year. He underwent surgery and months of rehabilitation there, and is now able to walk and kick a ball again.
When we met in 2025, he told us that his favorite footballer was Vinícius Júnior. We were able to pass the information on to the Real Madrid star, who wanted to send a personal video message of support. Gathered in Cairo, we watched it together.
“I have read your story. I know how difficult the last few months must have been for you,” begins the Brazilian footballer.
Vinícius has become a leading figure in the fight against racism in football and support for black people. A smile lights up Zaher’s face when the player tells him, “You’re a hardworking black man. I really hope that you make good use of your new prostheses, that you come back to play football and that you find happiness. You deserve it. »
Then comes an invitation: “I would like to invite you to attend a Real Madrid match. We could spend the day together. »
Overwhelmed by emotion, Zaher gets up and leaves the room. Moments later, he returns wearing his new Vinícius Jr football jersey. He hopes that one day he can get a visa and accept the offer.
“Tell Vinícius that I love him,” he said. “His message really lifted my spirits. » His mother, Habibah, says she feels like "the whole world supports Zaher and wants him to succeed."
Photo credit, Joe McNally/BBC
Zaher lost his legs in 2024, while he and his mother were trapped in Khartoum. Much of the town had become a battlefield, ravaged by fighting between the Sudanese army and the RSF.
Food and basic necessities were running out, and the family did not have enough money to flee. To survive, they sold lentils on the street.
Then, one morning, while Zaher and his mother were working side by side, a drone struck.
“I looked at him and he was bleeding. There was blood everywhere,” Habibah said last year.
She was devastated. "He would wake up and ask me, 'Why did you let them cut off my legs?' I couldn't answer. »
At the time, Zaher moved in a wheelchair through the rubble of his neighborhood, passing charred cars, abandoned tanks and destroyed homes.
Before the war, Zaher loved football. After the drone strike, he could only play on his knees, a painful procedure that put him at risk of serious infection.
“I would like to have prosthetic legs so I can play football with my friends like before,” he said at the time.
It seemed unlikely that this would happen, but his story resonated far beyond Sudan, sparking an outpouring of support across the world.
Among them, Dena Latif, a lawyer of Sudanese origin based in the United Kingdom. After seeing the BBC report, she helped launch an online campaign that raised £45,000 ($60,000) for his medical treatment.
Unable to obtain the necessary care in Sudan, Zaher had to leave the country, a process far from simple. He and his mother did not have passports and their birth certificates had been destroyed during the war.
After months of preparation, he and his mother were able to fly to Cairo where an apartment awaited them, with food in the fridge and medical appointments arranged.
For the first time in years, their immediate concern was no longer simply how to survive.
Zaher underwent further surgery, followed by several months of physiotherapy and training to learn how to use his prosthetic legs. He also received psychological support to help him overcome the trauma he had experienced.
“He was shy, a little depressed, sad,” says Dr. Bintelmuna Eltayeb, one of the doctors who took care of him. “Making him smile was almost impossible, but now we see him laughing. He regained confidence in himself. »
His transformation has been as much psychological as physical, according to those close to him, and Dena says Zaher now approaches life with a determination that surprised them.
Over the course of his time with Zaher, he laughs and jokes, making up for part of the childhood the war stole from him.
He really wants to discover new activities, such as horse riding or cycling, and dreams of becoming an airline pilot. He hasn't played football yet, but he can't wait to meet up with his friends.
For Habibah, seeing her son regain his confidence brought immense relief. But she worries about his future, his education and how he will be received in Sudan, a country still in the grip of civil war.
Photo credit, Anadolu via Getty Images
The state of emergency was lifted in Khartoum, their hometown, where the Sudanese army regained control. But throughout the capital, buildings remained destroyed: burned, blackened and looted.
Security concerns persist and 41 percent of Sudan's population suffers from severe food insecurity, according to a recent statement released by the United States and 30 other Western countries. The group also warned of a risk of famine.
“I hope Zaher’s story doesn’t end there,” says Dena. She hopes her recovery will raise awareness and funds for the thousands of other Sudanese children who have suffered tragic injuries.
Zaher and his mother are back in Khartoum. They hope that since the city is more stable now, he will be able to have his prosthetic legs checked and adjusted there as he grows.
Despite the safety they found in Cairo, they missed their home, family and friends. And while Zaher was lucky enough to return to his childhood, millions of other Sudanese children are still waiting for theirs.
Additional reporting by Scarlett Barter and Abdelrahman Abutaleb
We used AI to help translate this article, originally written in English. A BBC journalist checked the translation before publication. Learn more about how we use AI.
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