The United Nations has described the situation in Darfur as the world�s worst humanitarian crisis. 400,000 are estimated to have died from violence, disease or starvation since the conflict began in 2003.
A further 2.5 million people (one third of the entire population of Darfur � a region of Sudan that�s the size of France) are currently living in displacement camps.
Our response
For the last three years Christian Aid has supported relief efforts in South and West Darfur. This has involved church-based networks (Action by Churches Together and Caritas) as well a local partner working in North Darfur.
Almost half a million people receive help through these programmes, including shelter, food, health, nutrition, water, sanitation, education, and agricultural and psycho-social support.
The programmes are aimed at those in most need and from all ethnic groups.
Christian Aid has so far contributed almost �3 million to the ACT/Caritas programme and more than �600,000 to the SUDO programme. This money has been used to:
build, equip and staff health clinics
train health workers
identify and treat malnutrition, mostly among young children, and expectant and new mothers
ensure access to clean water by drilling boreholes, and repair hand pumps and hand-dug wells
construct and repair latrines in households, schools and public areas
conduct intensive health and hygiene education campaigns
repair and rehabilitate schools for internally displaced children and those in host communities
distribute seeds, tools, tree seedlings and other agricultural inputs
support peace-building work with people from across communities including community leaders, youth, women, teachers and students.
Emergency appeals
In May 2007, Christian Aid launched an appeal with the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) for Darfur and Chad in response to the rapidly deteriorating situation in the region.
The DEC appeal raised �8 million, of which Christian Aid received �509,400.
This money has enabled ACT/Caritas to respond to additional water, sanitation and schooling needs of 50,000 newly displaced people in West Darfur, as well as supporting our partner, the Lutheran World Federation, to assist some 40,000 people who have been displaced within eastern Chad as a result of the cross-border instability.
Christian Aid�s own appeal in 2007 raised �1.3 million and this money will be used over the coming 2-3 years to continue the vital humanitarian work in Darfur.
Aid alone is not enough
Aid alone will not solve the crisis in Darfur although it will help alleviate the suffering of the people caught up in the conflict.
Money from our appeal will be spent on the relief effort and to support the ongoing extensive behind-the-scenes work to find a just and lasting peace in Darfur and the rest of Sudan.
Thank you for your support
Thank you for all the support you have given, and continue to give, so generously to Christian Aid and, and through us, to the people of Sudan.