Humanitarian Action in Darfur – Weekly Bulletin No.38

Key overall developments

The World Food Programme (WFP), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), UNICEF, and the Government of the Sudan launched the joint Darfur Food Security and Livelihoods Assessment (DFSLA) and the Darfur Nutrition Assessment (DNA) on 26 October 2008. The assessments will provide an update on the food security and nutrition status of displaced and vulnerable populations in Darfur, as well as make recommendations on immediate and medium term programme interventions. The DNA — led by the Ministry of Health (MoH) and UNICEF — will occur in tandem with the DFSLA. Data will be collected from 1,575 households in 45 locations across the three Darfur states (900 households for the DFSLA and an additional 675 households for the DNA). Data collection and analysis is expected to be completed by mid December, with the final report available by end of January 2009. Insecurity will pose a significant challenge in completing the assessment this year, as most locations are not accessible by road.

WFP partner, German Agro Action (GAA), announced that it will resume its operations in rural parts of North Darfur, which were suspended at the end of August after several banditry acts against its personnel and property.

Needs and response by sector

Education

North Darfur

The State Ministry of Education (SMoE) — with UNICEF support — released recreation kits, pupil kits and classroom kits to El Abbasi IDP Camp in Mallet town benefiting over 200 school age children (50% girls).
Teaching methodology has been the focus for training in Mallit, Malha, Kuma, Lait and Teweisha. UNICEF has supported the SMoE in training of teachers in English Language Teaching methodologies. The SMoE training section will extend the training of teachers to improve teaching methodologies for other core subjects as Mathematics, Science and Arabic language. In addition — and with coordination UNICEF and the SMoE — the NGO Plan Sudan has trained 50 school teachers (68% female) in Mathematics teaching methodology.

Food Security and Livelihoods

North Darfur

WFP food dispatches are ongoing, with 62% of October dispatch plans achieved.

WFP and the SMoE completed introductory Food for Education (FFE) training for 235 school administrators and Parent Teacher Association representatives in Sayah, Mellit rural and Mellit town. The training was carried out in preparation for expanding the FFE programme to schools in the area.

South Darfur

A joint WFP and Samaritan Purse assessment is ongoing in Sania Afandu, Marla, Um Tendalti, Caliyate, Hijaar and Um Kunya. The assessment findings will inform on the food needs of residents in the area, who have been inaccessible over the last six months due to insecurity.

WFP partner, Solidarite, has completed a rapid assessment in Muhajeria and Shaeria, following renewed fighting in September and October. Food assistance has been provided to people affected by the conflict. A more in-depth needs assessment will be carried out to determine the number of people affected and their immediate needs.

The last round of the Blanket Supplementary Feeding Programme (BSFP) was completed last week in Kalma IDP Camp for some 16,000 children under five (5). This concludes the BSFP in the camp for this season, which was initiated earlier this year to mitigate malnutrition levels that traditionally rise during the hunger period. Discussions have started in preparation for the 2009 programme.

West Darfur

WFP food distributions are ongoing as planned, with minimal disruptions reported this week. In the Helialat area, food distributions were disrupted by ethnic conflict, which resulted in some food being looted. Continuing tensions in the northern part of the state and in the east of El Geneina meant that access was restricted for WFP and NGO partners, who called on local Food Relief Committees (FRC) to facilitate food distributions to beneficiaries in some of the locations in these parts. These local FRCs — made up of beneficiaries — were set up to manage food distributions in the absence of WFP or its NGO partners.

An inter-agency mission to Hejelija estimated the number of new returnees to be between 700 and 1,000. These groups, who have not been reached since the beginning of the year due to insecurity, will be included in the WFP general food distribution (GFD) caseload as of November, following verifications and registrations.

In preparation for the start of the Food for Care-givers programme in Mornei Hospital in November, WFP presented implementation procedures and guidelines for the hospital staff.

In Um Dukhun, Oxfam held the graduation ceremony for the first ever project training local women in masonry and building skills. Fifteen (15) women took part in the month-long training, which aims to equip them with basic skills to provide alternative opportunities to earn an income. All graduates were given tools including a wheelbarrow, shovels and picks, to help them get started.

Health and Nutrition

North Darfur

The prevention of HIV/AIDS has been the focus of the training for 120 school teachers (52% female) by the SMoE- School Health Department. The UNICEF supported training took place in Dar El Salaam, Mellit, Kutum and El Fasher localities.

The World Health Organization (WHO) conducted a field visit to Kabkabiya to monitor accessibility of IDPs to health care as well as to install a new mobile X-Ray machine in order to improve the quality of health services provided to IDPs in rural areas.

WHO supported El Fasher Teaching Hospital with an assortment of drugs to ensure the sustainability of free health care service in the hospital.

South Darfur

In Otash IDP Camp — with UNICEF support — HIV/AIDS awareness raising activities was conducted by ten (10) trained peer educators are benefiting 1,200 youth per month in Children Development Foundation (CDF) Youth Friendly Space and Cooperative Housing Foundation (CHF) Women’s Development Center.

WHO paid a monitoring visit to the Elwahida site where health staff were given orientations about disease surveillance and reporting tools.
West Darfur

UNICEF — in collaboration with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) — released 1,667 insecticide treated bednets for distribution in ante natal care (ANC) clinics in Golo and Kelling as part of on going accelerated child survival initiative (ACSI) interventions planned for the Jebel Marra. UNICEF also supported Expanded Programme of Immunization (EPI) training for 20 vaccinators in Nertiti.

With the collaboration of the SMoH and partners, WHO conducted four (4) trainings on active case finding and investigation; lab techniques; rapid response team; and epidemiological data management.

WHO is working as facilitator for the integrated management of childhood illness workshop on “standard case management”. Twelve (12) doctors are taking part in the workshop.

Together with the SMoH, WHO started a three (3) day water quality training course for 30 staff from NGOs and the SMoH in Zalingei.

Non-Food Items (NFIs)

North Darfur

On 25 October, the United Nations Joint Logistic Center (UNJLC) participated in an inter-agency rapid assessment mission to Um Rai in the Kutum locality to verify reports of conflict-displaced populations gathering in the area and to assess needs.

UNICEF supported partners Oxfam, Cooperazione Internazionale (COOPI), the State Water Corporation (SWC) and the Ministry of Education to release over 32,000 soap bars to coincide with Global hand washing day to school children. Schools in Shangil Tobayi, Saraf Omra, Kabkabiya, El Fasher town and IDP camp schools, as well as schools in Um Kaddada , al Lait, Tawisha, and ZamZam all received soap as part of the Global Hand washing day promotion.
South Darfur

The national NGO National Organisation for Care and Development (NOCD) supported a women’s centre in Erli in the Kass locality with jerry cans and sleeping mats from the NFI Common Pipeline.

West Darfur

Blankets, sleeping mats and plastic sheeting from the NFI Common Pipeline were distributed by the Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) in Sisi IDP Camp in El Geneina. The distributions were part of a joint-agency rapid response, coordinated by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), to a fire which damaged a school and several other buildings.

Over 10,000 children in the Golo administrative area of Jebel Mara will benefit from education supplies released by UNICEF including 8,000 exercise books, 30 recreation kits, 50 pupil kits, 20 teachers kits, 125 boxes of chalk and 1,500 sitting mats. Five (5) recreation kits and 2,500 seating mats we released to Mornei and Sisi by UNICEF after the recent fire which destroyed the school store, reaching 12,750 children living in rural areas.

Mercy Corps provided the graduates of its income generating activity trainings with a generator and welding machine as well as additional materials for shelter construction in Mukjar market. Graduates have set up market stalls and are selling their products to the local population.
WHO provided 20 pieces of protective clothing, 20 overalls, boots, masks and goggles to El Geneina Hospital.

Water and Sanitation

North Darfur

Oxfam continued to organise public events and campaigns following the Global Hand Washing Day. In Kabkabiya Oxfam and their local partner the Kabkabiya Smallholders and Charitable Society (KSCS) brought nearly 1,500 people together to raise awareness about the importance of hand washing and good hygiene practices, particularly among children. Educational drama and songs were performed, and soap and water containers were also distributed to families.

The SWC — with UNICEF support — assisted IDPs to repair a hand pump and to fix the main pipeline in Abu Shouk IDP Camp. The State Water Corporation Water Environment Sanitation (WES) team also supported the operation and maintenance of all hand pumps and motorized pumps that serve 54,000 IDPs.

In Dar El Salam town, WES and the SWC completed the construction of one (1) water yard in Karwa benefiting 5,000 persons and their livestock.

In collaboration with UNCEF, WHO continued to support SMoH to conduct water quality control and monitoring in El Fasher town. The team visited 46 hand dug wells that all showed free chlorine residual equivalent to 0.2/mg/l and 0.5mg/l.
South Darfur

In Al Salam and Otash IDP Camps a total of 37 household latrines were constructed and completed benefiting 230 people. Thirty six (36) people were also trained on household water management and hygiene issues. With UNICEF support the SWC conducted regular general cleaning campaigns, household visits, hygiene sessions, and water dialogues in Al Salam, Otash, Mossei and all three (3) IDP camps in the Al Daein area. About 8,000 people have benefited from these activities.

Building upon the success of Global Handwashing day – UNICEF and partners CARE, Action Contre la Faim (ACF), the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and the SWC mobilized the communities in Al Salam, Derige, and Sekele IDP Camps. Hygiene professionals, Sheiks and teachers discussed the significance of handwashing. The communities were entertained by dramas about the consequences of un-washed hands. Soap was also distributed to the communities.

Together with the SMoH and CARE, WHO continues providing technical support and assisting in water quality monitoring activities in El Serief and Al Salam IDP Camps. Samples from water points were collected and checked for Free Residual Chorine. Some showed positive results. WHO advised all partners to strengthen their hygiene promotion activities.
West Darfur

The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) rehabilitated five (5) broken hand pumps out of the total (40) in Krenik locality.

Mercy Corps hygiene promotion team in Zalingei conducted seven (7) public hygiene campaigns in four (4) IDP camps, which covered diarrhea, safe water, children’s hygiene, hand washing, malaria, waste collection and latrine maintenance, and visited over 8,000 households in Zalingei, Mukjar and Um Dukhun to deliver hygiene messages.

Mercy Corps conducted a hygiene “block competition” for the cleanest neighborhood block in Mukjar, and 25 households were invited to score the competition. Six (6) Mukjar schools also received 60 pieces of soap from Mercy Corps this week.

Mercy Corps celebrated Global Handwashing Day in Um Dukhun and Zalingei — Hassa Hissa IDP Camp — focusing on how, why and when to wash hands garnering a large community turnout.

Mercy Corps introduction of School Health and Environmental Education in Darfur (SHEE-D) continued in Zalingei, in two (2) schools in Khamsa Dagaig IDP Camp. Teachers and pupils were sensitized on the importance of hand washing in coordination with Global Hand Washing Day.

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