Humanitarian Action in Darfur Weekly Bulletin No. 9-10

KEY OVERALL DEVELOPMENTS

– The Joint GoS/UN assessment teams have arrived in the three Darfur states. As per the TORs agreed with the government, the joint teams have been tasked as follows: gauge the humanitarian impact of the dissolution of the NGOs; and to assess the capacity to meet emergency needs in areas that NGOs had to leave.
– The teams will focus on the following sectors: water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH); health and nutrition; food aid; and non-food items and shelter. A report will be issued once the assessments are finalized around 18 March. The locations to be visited will be those affected by the dissolution of the NGOs.
– In North Darfur, more than 33,930 individuals/ 8,946 HH new IDPs have arrived in Zam Zam camp since the conflict in Muhajariya. WFP provided one month ration to 15,000 new arrivals in February, and plans to distribute another one month ration to 33,930 people. In Shangil Tobayi, Shadad and Dar El Salam camps, WFP has provided food rations to 2,203 people in February, with plans to expand food support to an additional 1,020 that arrived in March.
– In Darfur 54 cases of meningitis with four deaths have been reported by WHO up this week (since January 2009): 41 cases with four deaths in South Darfur, North Darfur accounts for five cases while in West Darfur there are five cases.
– 1.1 million Food beneficiaries in Darfur will be impacted by the expulsion of NGOs leaving a huge gap in humanitarian assistance.
– UN continues to advocate for a reversal of the Government’s decision on the expelled NGOs; planning short-term emergency measures for food, water and sanitation, health and shelter support; and medium-term planning.
– Two crop assessments have been conducted by FAO, the DFSLA jointly with the Ministry of Agriculture and WFP and the Post Harvest Assessment with the State Ministries of Agriculture along with the Food Security and Livelihoods partners. The preliminary results of the former were released on 23 February whilst the latter is still being finalised in West and South Darfur. These annual assessments serve to provide all sector partners and programming units with essential information about the changing food needs of the community of Darfur as well as place regularly update baseline figures which can be used to further identify the most vulnerable.
– Following recent hostilities in Muhajariya, UNJLC continues to coordinate Sector support for newly displaced households in North and South Darfur. In North Darfur, household verification and assessments are ongoing; in South Darfur access remains restricted by security impediments but UNJLC is coordinating with OCHA and Sector partners and is ready to implement assessments as soon as the security situation permits. Throughout the month of March UNJLC will continue to monitor the situation and coordinate NFI and ES support.

NEEDS AND RESPONSE BY SECTOR

Education

North Darfur

– With the support of UNICEF, the State Ministry of Education provided seven student and teacher kits, textbooks and teaching guides to primary schools in Wada’ah, benefiting 250 students, half of whom are girls.

South Darfur

– A five-day workshop on school management and planning for 26 headmasters at the Institute of Education in Nyala was facilitated by World Vision.
– The rehabilitation of Juru School and continued rehabilitating Diri School, Edd El Fursan locality was completed by World Vision.

West Darfur

– Last February Mercy Corps, Zalingei trained 69 pupils and six teachers from the School Health Clubs of Fatima Karal, Aleif, and Gei schools in Hamidiya camp in personal hygiene, child hygiene, six common killer diseases and safe water usage.

FOOD SECURITY AND LIVELIHOODS

The preliminary results of the 2008 DFSLA have indicated that food security is better in host communities as they have access to agricultural land and have better food security compared to IDPs in camps. This is good evidence of the impact of agricultural activities on the nutritional status of communities as well as their perception of their accessibility to sources of food from improved self-sufficient production.

Although the Post Harvest Assessment which is conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture and FAO is in various stages in Darfur, the early results from North and South Darfur indicate a good crop production in 2008 and consequently an improved food security situation, with lower prices of essential cereals and vegetables in markets and better accessibility. FAO has provided technical and financial support to the Ministry during the planning and data collection stages of the assessment and has partnered in the report writing.

North Darfur

– In preparation for the Blanket Supplementary Feeding programme, scheduled to resume during the hunger gap, registration and verification of 10,000 children under-five have been completed in Saraf Omra, North Darfur. WFP plans to reach over 300,000 children across the region in 2009 with an enhanced fortified premix of corn-soya blend, dried skim milk and vegetable oil.
– The prices for cereals have stabilized in North Darfur although it is still quite high as compared to the same period last year due to movement of cereals to markets in South Darfur and South Kordofan. The post harvest assessment has highlighted a better cereal harvest for this year with the overall food deficit estimated at almost 60% less than that of last year (93,000 MT in 2008). However, areas such as Kutum and North Um Keddada have shown low crop performance. Farmers are now preparing their land for winter cultivation
– Fifteen agricultural workers who run the five GOAL supported community demonstration farms in Kutum attended a one week intensive agricultural refresher training workshop. Facilitated by the Ministry of Agriculture and supported by GOAL. Those in turn will pass on the improved production techniques to some 2,000 local farmers on demonstration farms in the coming months.

South Darfur

– Population movements continued to be observed. In South Darfur, some 2,700 IDPs displaced from Muhajariya arrived at El Neem camp, and 508 individuals, also displaced from Muhajariya have settled in Umsuana. A further 34 households, displaced from Gereida and Umalkayrat, arrived in Khor Omer Salamat camp. Registrations and verifications are ongoing for IDPs arriving without ration cards. Emergency food rations are being provided and beneficiaries will be included in the general food distribution caseload. In North Darfur, more than 33,930 individuals/ 8,946 HH new IDPs have arrived in Zam Zam camp since the conflict in Muhajariya. WFP provided one month ration to 15,000 new arrivals in February, and plans to distribute another one month ration to 33,930 people. In Shangil Tobayi, Shadad and Dar El Salam camps, WFP has provided food rations to 2,203 people in February, with plans to expand food support to an additional 1,020 that arrived in March.
– Under the Food for Education programme, ten schools in Ed Daein were assessed for school feeding readiness in coordination with the Ed Daein Education Office. WFP and its partners are looking into establishing school feeding in these schools. A further 26 schools are slated for assessment once the security situation allows. WFP currently provides daily cooked meals to over 300,000 children through the school feeding programme.
– In North Darfur there are reports of a large mortality amongst livestock in certain areas due to stress caused by movement from areas in South Darfur. FAO staff and partners are investigating the matter. FAO is also planning to support the Range and Pasture Unit to establish a fire line in vulnerable areas so as to protect grazing land from wild fires.
– Production is higher in 2008, as compared to 2007; however the prices for sorghum and millet are 62% and 41% higher, respectively, than the same period last year. This can be attributed to low or no access to markets due to insecurity, restriction on cereals from West Darfur by local authorities and hoarding by farmers.
– 74,427 beneficiaries in Al Salam and Otash camps received food rations distributed by World Vision. A total of 930.2 metric tons of food commodities was distributed.
– 100 women in Galdi and Um Gadiety were supported by World Vision to plant various vegetables and sell them to generate income. The women have cultivated 15,000 seedlings of citrus, guava, pawpaw, mango and other tree seedlings.
– Nine beneficiary communities and women groups in Diri, Norley, Aldambaloyia, Edd El Fursan and Umzaifa villages of Edd El Fursan locality are to receive training on cheese making, fodder production and marketing by World vision.
– A bee-keeping assessment in Abgarajil village, Edd El Fursan locality was conducted by World Vision.
– Fodder seeds were distributed by World Vision to two groups made up of eight farmers in Juru and Romalyia villages, Edd El Fursan. It also distributed accessories for irrigation pumps in the two villages.
– For a total of six days, 172 women in three locations in Rehed Al Birdi locality – Rehed Al Birdi, Fondog and Brango – received training on vegetable cultivation. Topics covered included: the importance of vegetables, land preparation, spacing, seed rate, fertiliser usage, pests and diseases control. Each of the 172 women trained further received 0.25kg of vegetable seeds for planting in their fields.

West Darfur

– Harvesting of winter crops is the main activity in this period in West Darfur. It has been observed that food security in the state is stable and that local production of cereals and vegetables has increased the availability of food in the market.
– Over eight MT of vegetable seeds, 77,692 hand tools and 2,292 ploughs are in the process of being distributed in preparation for the upcoming winter season cultivation. Additionally 168 treadle pumps are to be allocated to needy farmers to enable them to maximize their water resources in a manner that is sustainable yet supports farming activities.
– In West Darfur, a one day workshop was conducted by FAO and the RCOs office on the Review of Rural Livelihood Programming in West Darfur. 23 individuals from UN agencies and NGOs participated.
– In February Mercy Corps*, Mukjar hosted 85 visitors to its demonstration farm, of whom 31 were women. Mercy Corps also began seven literacy classes with an average of 30 adult learners per class.
– Mercy Corps*, Zalingei conducted a one-day agricultural training for seven petty traders and provided them with agricultural inputs. Mercy Corps also conducted a one-day training on onion harvesting targeting 25 farmers at the demonstration farm serving Hamidiya camp and the Zalingei host community.
– 261 participants (211 women and 50 men) attended week-long training courses in food processing and gender awareness in Kongo Harazza and Arara. FAR trainers instructed participants in use of solar dryers to preserve fruits and vegetables including mangos, okra, and onions as well as preparation of jams and soup powders. These skills build household access to nutritious food throughout the year and create opportunities for income-generation by selling processed goods at local markets. Sessions on gender awareness were well received.
– Work in vegetable production continues by FAR supported Women’s groups from Ardamata and Krinding. They are currently harvesting tomatoes, okra, white radish, carrots, and jejeria.
– A site for a new community centre has been located by FAR near Kongo Haraza. The centre will serve as a school in the mornings, an adult education centre in the afternoons and a training facility for cross-groups sessions on peace-building and conflict transformation. The site will be equipped with a rainwater roof catchment system and latrines and will house a demonstration garden and livestock rearing area. Plans for construction are underway.
– Seeds for 75,000 new seedlings as well as a new water tank were procured by FAR tree nurseries in Beida.

HEALTH AND NUTRITION

In Darfur 54 cases of meningitis with four deaths have been reported by WHO up this week (since January 2009): 41 cases with four deaths in South Darfur, North Darfur accounts for five cases while in West Darfur there are five cases.
Polio eradication campaign was conducted this week in all the regions by the respective State Ministries of Health with logistical support from UNICEF, WHO and INGO partners. Final results are being prepared and will be shared soon.

North Darfur

– The recent National Immunization Days against Polio in North Darfur have so far reached more than 388,000 children – about 98 per cent of the target population. Efforts are continuing to undertake immunization in areas that could not be accessed in the initial three-day campaign.
– UNICEF supported a two day workshop on community-based therapeutic care, involving 50 nutritionists and medical assistants from the State Ministry of Health.

South Darfur

– UNICEF supported the delivery of HIV awareness sessions in a workshop organized by the local NGO Haraza, which targeted 200 community leaders from six camps for internally displaced persons. UNICEF also supported the inclusion of HIV awareness messages in training for 80 village midwives and 40 medical assistants on emergency obstetric care.
– More than 3,000 patients were provided with World Vision’s health care services, vaccinations to tens of children and ante-natal care to pregnant women at its clinics across South Darfur.
– Corn Soya Blend (CSB) was provided by World Vision to hundreds of malnourished children at its supplementary feeding centres (SFCs) across South Darfur.
– 40 community leaders and 65 Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) from 20 project communities in Edd el Fursan were selected for training on community-based healthcare management by World Vision.

West Darfur

– The recent National Immunization Days campaign against Polio has so far reported that nearly 320,000 children have been reached in West Darfur – some 95 per cent of the target population – with results still awaited from Bendisi, Azoum and parts of Zallingei. The campaign was implemented by the State Ministry of Health, with support from UNICEF, WHO and other partners.
– With UNICEF support, the State Ministry of Health conducted a workshop on preventing iodine deficiency disorders for 47 community members in Habila.

NON-FOOD ITEMS (NFIS)

South Darfur

– Following a fire in Al Salam camp, Humedica distributed non-food items and emergency shelter to 17 households.
– Last week in South Darfur, Sudanese Red Crescent Society (SRCS) distributed blankets, plastic sheeting and jerry cans to 5,718 households requiring replenishment in El Neem Camp, Ed Daein.
– Following a fire, Popular Organisation for Development and Relief (PODR) supported 72 households in Kass with non-food items and emergency shelter from the NFI Common Pipeline.
– In addition, Humedica distributed NFIs and ES to 22 newly-displaced households in Al Salam camp, Nyala.
– Soap was distributed by GOAL Community Health Promoters to 6,619 households (25,215 beneficiaries) in Kutum’s Kassab Camp to help minimize hygiene related diseases.

West Darfur

– Save the Children-US supported 2 households in Krinding 1 camp with essential household items from the NFI Common Pipeline after a fire.
– Mercy Corps*, Zalingei completed in February its distribution of kitchen sets to targeted vulnerable households in Hamidiya (300), Hassa Hissa (350), Shabab (125), Khamsa Dagaig (125) and Tayba (100) camps.

PROTECTION AND HUMAN RIGHTS

South Darfur

– Psychosocial support, informal education, vocational training and awareness on gender issues continued to be provided by World Vision to hundreds of beneficiaries at its community centres in South Darfur.

West Darfur

– UNICEF organized and facilitated a two-day training workshop on child protection and child rights for 18 senior officers from the UN civilian police working in IDP camps in Zalingei, aimed at sensitising the group on child rights issues and improving sharing of information on cases. UNICEF also worked with the NGO Intersos in arranging three one-day training workshops on child rights and child protection issues for more than 70 humanitarian workers, sheikhs, imams, police officers and teachers in Habila.

WATER AND SANITATION

North Darfur

– 14 hand pumps were repaired by the State Water Corporation with UNICEF support in Abu Shouk, Al Salaam, Zamzam, Kassab and Mallet, while in Kassab and Zamzam camps a range of hygiene promotion and other sanitation activities were organized with local residents. To support new arrivals of displaced persons at Zamzam camp, the State Water Corporation and UNICEF supported the drilling of ten new boreholes.
– In coordination with WES, GOAL conducted training workshops in repairing and maintaining hand pumps in Kutum’s two camps. Thirty two WASH committee members in Kassab Camp and twenty two in Fata Borno Camp were trained and then broken water points were fixed as part of the exercise. The committee training makes water points more sustainable while giving communities in both camps a greater degree of operational capacity.

South Darfur

– Nine latrines with super structure in Duma West and Adwa Internally Displaced Person (IDP) locations were completed by World Vision.
– Hygiene education was provided to 863 households in Duma and 55 households at Altaror by World Vision. It sensitised them on water and food storage and hand washing. Also, World Vision organised two clean-up campaigns that involved 105 people in Duma.
– Superstructure materials such as grad sticks, mats, Gana sheets and bamboo sticks were distributed by World Vision to 40 household for the construction of latrines in Altaror village. It also lined 30 latrines there and repaired one broken down hand pump in Abgarjil village.
– Pumping tests and installed six hand pumps were conducted by World Vision in Khair Wajid, Umgozaine, Abuginzeer, Alrahad Abu, Alkerainnik and Umzaifa Diri villages in Edd El Fursan.
– Four water and sanitation communities were trained by World Vision in Almatar, Fondog, Alsikahadeed and Aldelaib villages of Rehed Al Birdi locality on the importance of latrines. It also organised a clean-up campaign for them. In addition, World Vision distributed 25,000 bricks to 125 households in the villages for latrine construction.

West Darfur

– In February Mercy* Corps hygiene promotion team in Um Dukhun continued its chlorination and cleaning of jerry cans at hand-dug wells, with 1,723 jerry cans cleaned this week, and carried out 18 waste collections.
– Mercy Corps* water/sanitation team in Um Dukhun drilled a borehole in Baitteri camp in collaboration with Oxfam, and is working with the community to establish a hand-dug well in Um Furut.
– The State Water Corporation, assisted by UNICEF, drilled ten new boreholes in Bendisi locality, ahead of installation of new hand pumps in the area. The two partners also undertook maintenance of three hand pumps in Zalingei and Nertiti, ensuring continued safe water supply for some 1,500 people.
– UNICEF also supported the State Water Corporation to undertake hygiene promotion activities with households in Ardamata, Al Ryad and Dortei camps for internally displaced persons, reaching 802 households, while two cleaning campaigns were held in Dortei and the local sanitation committee in Teraij conducted a hygiene promotion session with 26 local people.

If you have inputs for the next edition or questions and comments on this one, or other media and public enquiries, please contact:
Imad Hassanein, Media Officer, United Nations, Khartoum, Sudan, Email: [email protected], Telephone: +249-9-12178035
For other media and public enquiries, you may also contact:
Orla Clinton, Head Advocacy and Public Information/RC/HC Spokesperson, United Nations, Khartoum, Sudan,
Email: [email protected], Telephone: +249-9-12174454
Cecilia Attefors, Public Information Officer, United Nations, Khartoum, Sudan, Email: [email protected], Telephone: +249-9-12179084