Recent surveys show that around one in four people are acutely malnourished in Southern Darfur. The United Nations predicts that by October that percentage will rise to one in two.

The United Nations foresees that even if aid is delivered immediately, approximately 300,000 people will be at extreme risk. According to U.N. figures, in Southern Darfur alone, which has 350,000 displaced people, 100 lives are being lost every day.

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) recently sent an additional $150,000 for assistance in the Sudan crisis bringing PDA’s response to $200,000. Funds are being used to assist 500,000 people living in refugee camps in southern and western Darfur. The program also aims to provide supplementary food to 50,000 children under the age of 5 and education for school-aged children.

A 15-minute video "Peace Under Fire - Sudan's Darfur Crisis" can be viewed on the Integrated Regional Information networks (IRIN) Web site. IRIN is part of the United Nation's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance has extracted a portion of the video.

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How to Help

Prayer and advocacy are needed. The United States government has demonstrated its concern for the situation, and the interest of the administration must be recognized and thanked. Letters recognizing the attention being given, but encouraging strong financial support to humanitarian work and timely response (equipment and/or personnel) to any active forceful intervention, would be helpful.

The Sudan Working Group of the Presbyterian Church has a wonderful sub group called the Sudan Advocacy Action Forum. This group monitors on a daily basis all of the news around Sudan and helps write and prepare appropriate advocacy actions. The two leaders are Bill Andress, Moderator and Bobbie-Frances McDonal. Please be in touch with them to be on the email list for regular advocacy work on Sudan.

Support to humanitarian efforts in this crisis can be marked for account number DR000044 - Darfur, Sudan and sent to:

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Individual Remittance Processing
P.O. Box 643700
Pittsburgh, PA 15264-3700