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Sudan

Sudan: Humanitarian Action in Darfur, weekly bulletin no. 5

Headlines

To date, German Agro Action (GAA) has distributed food aid to 550,000 beneficiaries in North Darfur in 2007.

The World Health Organization (WHO) in collaboration with the State Ministry of Health (SMoH) conducted a two-day training in North Darfur on drug cycle management.

Through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) rule of law seminar series, a seminar was organised in Zalingei (West Darfur) entitled 'Mitigating violent conflict and supporting sustainable livelihoods in Darfur'.

Key overall developments

Field work for the 2007 Darfur Emergency Food Security and Nutrition Assessment (EFSNA) has been completed and data analysis is ongoing with preliminary results expected by mid-October.

Population Movements

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) conducted a mission to Ishma, Shegay, and Taisha (South Darfur) on 30 August to assess the reported presence of returnees in the three villages. The total population verified was approximately 3,500 individuals in Ishma, and 700 households in Shegay. No returnees were identified in Taisha.

Needs and response by sector

Education

UNICEF assisted in the construction of eight classrooms - constructed with local materials - in Falandugi (South Darfur), assisting 560 schoolchildren whose school had been affected by recent flooding.

In Darfur, 120,000 children have enrolled in schools through the World Food Programme (WFP)'s 'Food For Education' school feeding programme. The programme is a simple idea whose impact is significant. Serving food at school not only fights hunger among the world's poorest children, it also helps get them into school, providing them with an important key to a better future, an education.

GAA has rehabilitated 24 primary school classrooms in Mellit (North Darfur).

GAA is in the process of constructing 66 temporary classrooms for children in the rural areas of Kutum and Mellit (North Darfur) Localities [districts].

GAA is conducting school feeding programmes in Malha and Mellit Localities (North Darfur).

A recent government assessment indicates that 52 basic primary schools and nine secondary schools have been affected by heavy rains and need urgent plastic sheeting for children to continue schooling. UNICEF's office in South Darfur has already dispatched 1,000 pieces of tarpaulin to assist colleagues in North Darfur respond to these needs.

Food Security and Livelihoods

To date GAA has distributed food aid to 550,000 beneficiaries in North Darfur in 2007.

GAA has distributed millet, sorghum, vegetable seeds, agricultural hand tools, and donkey ploughs to 6,000 households in Kutum, Mellit and Malha (North Darfur).

In South Darfur, WFP and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) co-chaired the 2008 Food Security and Livelihoods sector planning meeting for South Darfur, with the participation of some 50 representatives from the NGO community. Five key priorities were identified for 2008 including: (a) reducing acute food insecurity among vulnerable residents, refugees and host communities; (b) restoring and maintaining household food security for vulnerable populations; (c) strengthening livelihood coping mechanisms and strategies; (d) intensifying and diversifying production patterns; and (e) mitigating natural resource degradation and promoting sustainable land use.

Health and Nutrition

North Darfur

The WHO in collaboration with the SMoH conducted a two-day training in North Darfur on drug cycle management for 16 participants - pharmacists, assistant pharmacists and warehouse keepers - from the Ministry of Health (MoH), Malteser and the International Rescue Committee (IRC).

UNICEF provided anti-malaria drugs and four primary health care centre kits of drugs as well as other supplies to Abassi Camp - Meleit town - (North Darfur).

Supplies of therapeutic F100 and F75 milk along with plumpy nut were provided by UNICEF to the State Ministry of Health (SMoH), GOAL and Action Against Hunger (ACF) to support specialist feeding programmes.

The World Food Programme (WFP) is reviewing a project proposal for targeted food assistance to reduce the prevalence of acute malnutrition rates among targeted population in Kabkabiya and Kaguro (North Darfur).

South Darfur

The WFP continues to support the supplementary feeding programme implemented by CARE in Kass hospital and Ruhal Camp. During the week, 196 children under five, and 16 pregnant and lactating women, were assisted.

UNICEF supported provision of hygiene messages to 1,870 people in Al Salam camp, 708 people in El Ferdos Camp, 421 people in El Neem Camp, 513 people in Khor Omer Camp, 1,345 people in Musai Camp, and 2,041 people in Otash Camp.

West Darfur

UNICEF dispatched 250 mosquito nets to partner agencies in Bindisi, and 800 mosquito nets for pregnant mothers in Selea.

UNICEF provided 60 cartons of plumpy nut specialist foodstuffs to its partner International Medical Corps (IMC) to meet urgent needs in Um Dukhun.

UNICEF and the SWC conducted five hygiene promotion campaigns in Ardamata, Durti, and Riyad Camps reaching some 2,000 people

Non-Food Items (NFIs) and Emergency Shelter

Oxfam has distributed 5,400 mosquito nets to partners - the International Rescue Committee (IRC), Action Against Hunger (ACF), and Practical Action - in clinics in Abu Shouk and As Salaam Camps in El Fasher (North Darfur). Pregnant women and children under five years were targeted for the distribution.

Non-food item (NFI) distributions from the 'Darfur Common Pipeline' have concentrated on serving community projects over the reporting week that have consisted mostly of providing plastic sheeting, sleeping mats and jerry cans. In South Darfur, a distribution took place to over 3,000 families requiring replenishment of NFIs. In Otash Camp 4,500 NFIs were distributed to 500 disaster-affected families.

Protection and Human Rights

As part of the UNDP rule of law seminar series, UNDP organised in Zalingei, West Darfur, a seminar on 'Mitigating violent conflicts and supporting sustainable livelihoods in Darfur'. The seminar hosted two academics from the State University of Zalingei who presented their papers on this topic and initiated an in-depth debate on the issue. Over 100 participants, including representatives from local authorities, academia, religious leaders, NGOs and IDP communities participated in the seminar.

This week also the UNDP supported Legal Aid Network has taken on the case of a 15-year old girl who was forced to marriage and now seeks a divorce.

In South Darfur, UNICEF referred two cases of one-day old abandoned babies to the Umal Kiram Organisation which succeeded in placing the two children with foster families - in line with new policies on supporting abandoned babies with alternative family care rather than placements in institutions.

UNICEF provided training sessions on issues related to gender-based violence to 15 paralegals working in Zam Zam Camp (North Darfur).

Water and Sanitation

The WHO supported the SMoH and the SWC in the preparation of a chlorination programme, and the identification and design of a chlorination system, for the eight boreholes that provide water to El Geneina town (West Darfur).

UNICEF and the SWC laid 300 meters of pipeline for school water points and constructed one bladder for the cholera treatment centre in Al Salam Camp (South Darfur),

In Gereida Camp (South Darfur) UNICEF has supported the construction of three new water points. In Kass Camp (South Darfur), UNICEF has supported the construction of 40 new latrines.

In North Darfur, UNICEF supported the SWC to mobilize communities in Abu Shouk Camp to conduct a hygiene campaign reaching 585 households. In Kassab Camp, SWC teams assisted by UNICEF visited 3,457 households visited. In Kutum town, 4,353 households were visited while in Zam Zam Camps, teams organized a hygiene campaign reaching 2,617 households. In addition to promotion hygiene messages, the North Darfur teams also cleaned household jerry cans to reduce risk of water contamination and collected and disposed solid waste.

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: zarroug@un.org, Telephone: +249-9-12160065

For other media and public enquiries, you may also contact:

Maurizio Giuliano, Public Information Officer, United Nations, Khartoum, Sudan, Email: giuliano@un.org, Telephone: +249-9-12174454

Imad Hassanein, Media Officer, United Nations, Khartoum, Sudan, Email: hassaneini@un.org, Telephone: +249-9-12178035

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