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Sudan

Fact sheet on program activities

26/06/2006: In a unique co-peration, ACT and Caritas have shared their resources to work together to help many of the 1.9 million internally displaced people in Darfur.

Source: ACT-Caritas

The ACT-Caritas Darfur Emergency Response Operation

Action by Churches Together (ACT) International and Caritas Internationalis represent the vast majority of the humanitarian aid response of the world’s Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox churches. In a unique co-peration, ACT and Caritas have shared their resources to work together to help many of the 1.9 million internally displaced people in Darfur.

The ACT-Caritas operation has benefited from millions of dollars given by more than 60 donors worldwide.

Since the start of the program in June 2004, ACT-Caritas has helped more than 470,000 displaced people who have sought the relative safety of camps but also others who have remained in their homes.

The multinational ACT-Caritas team works with key local members and partners - SCC, SUDO and Sudan Aid. The operation employs some 35 international and 350 Sudanese staff. Our field offices cover the provinces of Nyala, Shearia, El Dhein, Edd Al Fursan, Zalingei, Jebel Marra and Wadi Salih.

ACT-Caritas collaborates with the Humanitarian Aid Commission of Sudan (HAC) and other ministries. The joint operation is managed under the legal umbrella of Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) in Sudan.

Achievements from January to May 2006

Emergency Response Unit

Water cans, cooking utensils, mosquito nets, blankets and sleeping mats have been distributed to people who were forced from Mershing Camp to Manawashei town.

Water

  • 32 boreholes have been drilled and 2 repaired; 4 shallow wells have been dug, 2 rehabilitated, and 13 new hand pumps installed.
  • Chlorinated water-bladder systems are up and running in camps.

Hygiene promotion

  • 3,147 hygiene kits containing bathing and washing soap, storage containers and jugs have been distributed.
  • Community mobilizers have carried out 26 health-awareness workshops focusing on personal and food hygiene, water handling and use of latrines.

Nutrition

  • 4,800 new patients from a caseload of malnourished children under 5 and pregnant and lactating women have received supplementary feeding rations.
  • 12 nutrition teams are operating in 15 sites across South and West Darfur.

Education

  • School materials have been distributed to more than 16,000 pupils in collaboration with UNICEF.
  • 4 schools have been weatherized.
  • Headmasters and deputies have received training in administrative skills.

Sanitation

  • 51 school and pit latrines have been newly constructed.
  • General cleaning campaigns were organized at 9 sites including camps, towns, and markets.
  • In Zalengei, 18,000 households have benefited from an insecticide spraying campaign to reduce the risk of disease spread by bugs.

Primary health
22 primary health care clinics are serving more than 21,000 patients a month in camps and host communities.

Protection, psychosocial and peace building
In early 2006, these three program sectors were merged in order to improve coordination of activities.

  • 457 key individuals have received training in peace-building, conflict resolution, human rights and protection issues.
  • 9 community centers in camps continue to provide counseling services to individuals who have been traumatised by their experiences.
  • Religious leaders participated in a peace-building workshop in Nyala, the first time for Christian and Muslim leaders to come together there.
  • Peace-building workshops for community leaders, women and youths have involved more than 140 people.
  • Meetings and activities such as horse races and football matches have taken place to encourage peaceful co-existence.
  • 32 women have been trained to train others in the manufacture and use of fuel-efficient stoves in order to minimise risks of sexual and gender- based violence while collecting firewood.

Agriculture
Training for farmers has been carried out as well as assessments and preparations for the purchase of seeds for distribution in the growing season for about 18,000 people.

DanChurchAid is a member of ACT International - a global alliance of churches and related agencies working to save lives and support communities in emergencies.