DanChurchAid
Sudan
Shelters for hundreds of families
By Charlotte Brudenell, ACT-Caritas
In May, thousands of people fled militia attacks on their villages in east and west Buram, an area south of Nyala. In Dereig camp, many of these families found refuge in two schools, built and run by Sudanaid, one of three local organisations implementing programs on behalf of ACT-Caritas.
Under the shade of a huge baobab tree, Sudanaid distributed plastic sheeting, alongside a distribution of wooden poles, grass matting, and rope as part of a coordinated response to provide the families with materials to make their own shelters.
Although people report a need for other items such as pots and utensils for cooking, everyone is happy to have their own shelters. A sheik, who has been living in one of the schools, explained how difficult it has been for so many people to live in such a small space.
"At night, with so many people lying down together, there was not an inch of space," he said.
Small insects further aggravated the situation. "When you lie down they bite you, and the bites are painful," he explained. "There was no light either, so if someone needed to go outside to relieve themselves, they could not help but step on someone."
Children cry and the women fight, accusing each other of hurting their child.
The rainy season started back in June. One of the schools is a permanent building made of concrete and a thatched roof. However, the other school is just a temporary structure made of palm leave matting and bamboo, offering little shelter from the rain.
When it rained, the conditions inside the temporary school were terrible. "The wind would whip up the desert sand and blow the plastic sheeting so that the rain came through the palm matting into the school," explained the sheik. "It was impossible to sleep. Water would run through the schools, at times inches deep."
"To try to protect them from the rain, women gathered the small children in their arms. But a mother with three of four children can only hold their youngest child in their arms, and has to leave the other children to fend for themselves."
During a storm one of the temporary classrooms collapsed. Those inside had to move to another shelter, already packed full of people.
As a result of the cramped conditions and the rains, people began getting sick. Further adding to the difficult conditions, precious stocks of food were often ruined by the rain and dust and had to be thrown away.
ACT-Caritas has been eager to help these people. However, under Sudanese law, until people have been registered as internally displaced persons and allocated land by the government, humanitarian agencies cannot provide people with shelter.
In the case of those sheltering in the schools in Dereig camp, the government authorities wanted to move them to other camps and so registration was delayed.
"We came to Dereig because we heard that it is safe. We have heard that there are armed militias inside other camps. When we fled our villages, some people were killed. We are so afraid of the armed militias. We would not feel safe in a camp where they are present," explained the sheik.
Fifteen sheiks, representing the families sheltering in the schools, had a meeting with the authorities to ask them to let them stay in Dereig camp. The authorities agreed. They then needed to find suitable land for the people to construct shelters on. After some delay, land was found, enabling a humanitarian response.
"It is good to be out of the school," says Fatima Moussa Adam, a mother of four. "Now that we all have our own large shelters, it is much healthier; we can breathe fresh air."
Abdul el Razig Ali, a husband and father agrees: "It is good to have our own shelters; conditions were tough inside the school. Thank you for giving these items. May God be with you."
Not only do hundreds of families now have their own shelters, but after a little renovation, the schools will be able to open again and provide children with an education.
"It is very important that our children go to school. We have been living through a war, and one of the causes of war is ignorance. We want to learn too," said the sheik.
Action by Churches Together International (ACT) and Caritas Internationalis (CI) are working together in a joint response to the Darfur crisis. ACT International is a global alliance of churches and related agencies working to save lives and support communities in emergencies worldwide. Caritas Internationalis is a confederation of 162 Catholic relief, development, and social service organizations present in 200 countries and territories.
DanChurchAid is a member of ACT International - a global alliance of churches and related agencies working to save lives and support communities in emergencies.
