SUDAN

Islamic Relief (IR) began working in Sudan in 1984 in response to devastating floods in Khartoum, and registered its field office in 1991. Islamic Relief's Sudanese connection however goes back to the devastating famine that gripped the country in the 1980's.

In 2003, Islamic Relief began expanding its operations to southern Sudan, the Blue Nile and the Nuba mountains. The emphasis of the programme is post-war recovery, integrated rehabilitation and community development. Islamic Relief is also responding to the crisis in Darfur.

Sudan, being one of the poorest countries in Africa, has a large proportion of its adult population, which are illiterate and are unable to deal with day to day matters because of the lack of ability to read or write.

IR had envisaged on an Adult Literacy Project in North Kordofan which aims at assisting those illiterate adults by providing them with lessons on basic reading and writing skills allowing them to play a more active part in their daily routine and allowing them to pursue other careers.

IR’s current projects in Sudan are:

  • Darfur Emergency Intervention
  • Blue Nile Post War Recovery Programme
  • Adult Literacy
  • School for Impaired Hearing
  • Mother and Child Health
  • North Kordofan Water Project

Darfur

Two million people have been driven from their villages because of fighting that began two years ago in Sudan's troubled Darfur region. Today, the crisis is still unresolved, and they are unable to return home. Most of those who fled their villages are farmers; instead of working the land they have been forced to languish in the squalid refugee camps of Darfur. Local agricultural production has been ruined by the conflict – the planting season has been missed once again this year so there will be nothing to eat except handouts from the aid agencies.

Islamic Relief's (IR) emergency team began work in Darfur in April 2004, providing displaced people with food and shelter. The IR team is managing the Kerinding II camp for displaced families, many of whom had been living in local schools. The camp now accommodates over 6,000 people who regularly receive food, plastic sheeting, soap, jerrycans and local building materials to build traditional homes. IR has also registered 100 orphans in Kerinding II who will receive additional support

 

 

With regards to water and sanitation, IR staffs are drilling wells in and around the Kerinding II camp in Al-Geneina. A total of 76 wells have been bored so far: 11 in the camp, 58 in neighbouring areas and another 7 in Azerni to the north of Al-Geneina. Hand pumps have been installed for 48 wells, and 196 people, both men and women, have undergone training as hand pump mechanics. In addition, 270 latrines, 181 bathing cabinets and 252 communal showers were constructed. Water bladders that can hold 62,000 litres of water have been set up in Kerinding II. A set of 20 latrines were also installed in the camp school and nursery for children. Water is supplied by tankers at least twice daily, but IR is planning to develop a more permanent water supply system in the camp.
 

IR staff has built and run a clinic in Kerinding II that services the camp as well as the local population. Workshops on AIDS/HIV awareness are carried out regularly, as well as counseling for rape victims. Medicines are supplied periodically to Al-Geneina Hospital and Kulbus Hospital.

Residents of Kerinding II send their children to Islamic Relief's Masakhane School where over 1,000 children are enrolled. The school has 19 classes and 28 teachers – some from the local community and others from the capital, Khartoum. The pupils also receive meals, uniforms and school bags. Ten prospective teachers are undergoing teacher training in the camp. IR has also opened four adult literacy classes in Kerinding II.

To help reduce tensions between the inhabitants of villages near IR's Kerinding II camp and the displaced population, IR has began assisting the village of Um-Duwain with water and food. A conflict over water between the two communities threatened to worsen the security situation in the camp. To diffuse the tension, IR began trucking water into Um-Duwain and distributed Qurbani meat. Further projects are being planned for the residents of Um-Duwain, including wells, orphan support, food distribution and education.

Islamic Relief has trained 311 women in Kerinding II how to make a new, fuel efficient stove. The new stove means that less wood is used, and less time is spent searching for wood. Energy-efficient stoves can decrease the time spent collecting wood by approximately 40 percent. IR will eventually train 500 women to produce energy-efficient stoves.

Blue Nile, Sudan

Since 1986, Islamic Relief (IR) has been supporting livelihood programmes, primary health care activities, water and sanitation, vocational training and primary education in Sudan. Recently IR has also gained permission to operate in South Sudan, from both the Government of Sudan and the SPLA/M. IR has received permission from the Government of Sudan to operate in the Blue Nile Area.

Around 700,000 people live in the Blue Nile region, and have been severely affected by the prolonged civil war. The insecurity in the area has left it inaccessible to NGOs and the UN for several years.

The protracted conflict has destroyed almost the entire infrastructure and created large-scale humanitarian needs. The massive displacement of over 110,000 internally displaced people (IDPs), in addition to those who have crossed the border and settled in neighboring Ethiopian villages, has resulted in a significant loss of assets - particularly livestock. The situation is aggravated by last year's low rainfall.

Once the food basket of Sudan, the Blue Nile State now faces an extremely insecure food situation. Water shortages in some areas mean that women walk up to six hours a day in search of drinking water during the summer. The scale of need in the area requires a concerted response, and IR is gearing up to provide appropriate humanitarian assistance. IR's Sudan team is currently in the area to carry out needs assessments, meet with key stakeholders, and set up a regional office