[5] A month after the Sudanese civil war began in April 2023, Elsaim and her family, including her husband and nine-month-old son, had to flee Sudan for their safety.

[2][8] Since the onset of the Sudanese civil war, she has lived in London, Paris, Florence,[9] and Berlin.

[7] In 2012,[1] due to protests during her first year at the University of Khartoum, the government shut down the school for three and a half months.

During this time away from classes, Elsaim became interested in science diplomacy and began volunteering at the Sudanese Environment Conservation Society.

[3][13] Speaking on the experience in 2023, she noted that although she felt the advisory group "changed the culture around youth engagement," she also found it frustrating "to follow UN protocols rather than work as independent activists".