Humanitarian Action in Darfur Weekly Bulletin No.27
07 August 2008
Key overall developments
– A spokeswoman for the medical charity organization Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Spain — who were evacuated from two locations in the western Sudanese state of North Darfur after several violent assaults, including two in one week, when armed men entered the MSF- Spain compounds at night — said that MSF staff may return to the area if they are assured improved security on the ground.
– In August, the World Food Programme (WFP) is increasing cereal rations for general food distribution (GFD) beneficiaries in Darfur. The revised rations will provide 75% of the daily kilo calorie (k-cal) requirement, an increase from the 60% daily k-cal value delivered in May and June.
Needs and response by sector
Education
North Darfur
– Child Friendly Community Initiatives (CFCI) — supported by UNICEF — completed the construction of eight (8) permanent new classrooms and completed four (4) partially built classrooms and two (2) offices in Abu Zerega CFCI village. The completion of a further six (6) semi-permanent classrooms (now at the roofing stage) and school latrines in both the boys and girls schools, are expected to reach over 1,000 children in Abu Zerega.
– The El Fasher Rural Development Network — supported by UNICEF — completed the construction of 10 new permanent classrooms in Tawilla and El Fasher Rural village schools providing access to education for over 500 children.
– With the rainy season underway in parts of Darfur, UNICEF released 104 plastic sheets to German Agro Action (GAA) for rain-proofing of temporary classrooms in five (5) schools. The schools in Abbas (Girls and Boys), Wama, Hillif Donki and Hillif Saniya Schools in Mellit locality support a total of 2,469 children.
South Darfur
– The South Darfur State Ministry of Education (SMoE) — in collaboration with UNICEF — has completed the construction of three (3) classrooms and the rehabilitation of another three (3) classrooms in Umdebekrat School in Rehead Elbirdi which were affected by floods. At Kalma IDP Camp 2,000 school kits were distributed to the IDP school students by Child Development Foundation (CDF) in partnership with UNICEF and the Government of Japan.
West Darfur
– The recent completion of six (6) classrooms in Adikong village — that were built with UNICEF support — will benefit 360 children from the village. Meanwhile, education supplies were released to Tear Fund by UNICEF, which included 60 pupil kits (GR5-8), 11 recreational kits, 64 stationery kits for adolescents, and two (2) classroom kits for Beida and Wadi Salih areas.
Food Security and Livelihoods
North Darfur
– After several months of preparations, the World Food Programme (WFP) Blanket Supplementary Feeding Programme (BSFP) will start in August, with an overall plan to reach over 200,000 children under-five in North Darfur. The programme aims to prevent a deterioration in the nutritional status through the provision of a nutritious premix of corn-soya blend, dry skim milk, sugar and vegetable oil to children-under five whose families already benefit from the General Food Distribution programme. The programme is expected to run throughout the hunger period.
South Darfur
– With support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), The Afac Almustagble for Women Organization has conducted a series of workshops on the usage and design of solar stoves — made from cardboard, aluminum papers, and black painted saucepans — in the IDP Camps of Otash, Bill, Sakali. Forty two women were been trained and supported with solar stoves. The cheap solar stoves are meant to contribute in saving the environment and preventing gender-based violence (GBV).
– UNFPA supported The Afac Almustagble for Women Organization in providing skills training in pottery making and marketing. Thirty IDP women were trained and provided with financial support to continue benefiting from this livelihood project.
– With the support of UNFPA, the Ahlam Charity Organization has organized regular literacy education programmes targeting 50 Hakamats and assisting them in Income Generating Activities (IGA) for which revolving funds have been allocated for six month period.
– A Tearfund nutrition survey in June in Ed Daein found high Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) and severe acute malnutrition (SAM) rates of 24.2% and 2.9% respectively, compared to last year’s 29.7% and 4.4%. The survey cited disease — such as acute respiratory illness (ARI), diarrhoea, malaria etc — as the main contributing factor. The nutrition working group partners are analyzing the results to determine further action required. Meanwhile, the WFP-supported BSFP, in effect since March 2008, continues to reach over 14,000 children under-five in Ed Daein.
West Darfur
– WFP delivered 106 metric tons of food to 57 schools in El Geneina town this week in support of over 48,000 school children under the Food for Education programme.
Health and Nutrition
North Darfur
– UNFPA distributed 126 Reproductive Health kits to the international NGOs International Rescue Committee (IRC), GOAL International, Relief International (RI), Partner Aid International (PIA), Malteser and Mercy Corps Malaysia.
South Darfur
– UNICEF supported the Therapeutic Feeding Centres (TFCs) in Kalma, Al Salam IDP Camps and Nyala town with 1,035 mosquito nets. Malaria can be a complication in the selective feeding programmes for malnourished children therefore prevention in the form of insecticide treated bed nets is an effective way to mitigate the risk of malarial disease.
– UNICEF supported Medicins Sans Frontiers (MSF)-France with 50 cartons of nutritional paste to use the Adilla nutrition programme.
West Darfur
– UNICEF released a total of 18 Primary Health Care Kits (PHC) to International Medical Corps (IMC) supported clinics in two (2) IDP camps around El Geneina.
Non-Food Items (NFIs)
South Darfur
– According to the United Nations Joint Logistics Centre (UNJLC), the majority of Common Pipeline distributions this week supported newly displaced populations in South Darfur. Distributions were carried out by the NGO Samaritans Purse to a total of 2,183 households. Items distributed were blankets, sleeping mats, women’s clothing, plastic sheeting and jerry cans.
West Darfur
– In El Geneina, Concern distributed NFI Common Pipeline plastic sheets to support community projects in Aramta, Abujar, Dorti and Kerenek IDP Camps.
– Catholic Relief Services (CRS) supported 295 IDP households requiring replenishment in Jama IDP Camp. Items distributed were plastic sheeting, jerry cans and sleeping mats.
Protection and Human Rights
South Darfur
– UNFPA supported the Jebel Mara Charity Organization (JEMCO) to conduct a training workshop for eight (8) GBV animators who would be working for UNFPA in the rural areas of Gereida, Feina, Dirbat, Labado, Kalma IDP Camp, Kass, Toor and Aldean. The GBV animators will be working in the fields of GBV/reproductive health (RH) trainings and monitoring for GBV related incidents.
West Darfur
– With the support of UNFPA, the Ministry of Social Affairs in the West Darfur State celebrated World Population Day. In the event the deputy Wali of West Darfur officially announced the Establishment of the State Population Council.
Water and Sanitation
West Darfur
– The State Water Corporation (SWC) — supported by UNICEF — continued the routine operation maintenance and chlorination of 17 water schemes in Mornei, Geneina, Zalingei, Um Shalaya, Trige and Um Kheir reaching approximately 102,000 beneficiaries. An additional 22,000 people have access to safe water through the chlorination of 18 water points in Zalingei town by the State Ministry of Health (SMoH) staff with UNICEF support.
– Hygiene messages on the prevention of diseases associated with the rainy season in IDP camps reached 772 households. The visits were carried out by State Water Corporation/Water and Environmental Sanitation (SWC/WES) department volunteers, who support WES units in Nertiti, Garsila, Dorti, Riyad and Ardamata IDP Camps.
If you have inputs for the next edition or questions and comments on this one, or other media and public enquiries, please contact:
Nahla Zarroug, Information Analyst, United Nations, Khartoum, Sudan, Email: [email protected], Telephone: +249-9-12160065
For other media and public enquiries, you may also contact:
Orla Clinton, Public Information Officer, United Nations, Khartoum, Sudan, Email: [email protected], Telephone: +249-9-12174454
Imad Hassanein, Media Officer, United Nations, Khartoum, Sudan, Email: [email protected], Telephone: +249-9-12178035