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Sister Pierre explains how to take medication at a clinic supported by ACT partners. Photo: Emad Ali Adam, ACT-Caritas
The ACT-Caritas Darfur Emergency Response Operation (DERO) - Fact sheet on program activities for April - June, 2007
Action by Churches Together (ACT) International and Caritas Internationalis represent the vast majority of the humanitarian aid response of the world’s Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox churches. In a unique co-operation, ACT and Caritas are sharing their resources to assist many of the 2.5 million internally displaced people in Darfur (source: International Organization for Migration).
The ACT-Caritas operation has benefited from millions of dollars given by more than 60 donors worldwide.
Since the start of the program in June 2004, ACT-Caritas has helped several hundred thousand displaced people who have sought the relative safety of camps, but also others who have remained in their homes.
The multinational ACT-Caritas team works with key local members and partners — Sudan Council of Churches (SCC), Sudan Social Development Organization (SUDO) and Sudan Aid. The operation employs some 35 international and 350 Sudanese staff. Our field offices cover the provinces of Nyala, Shearia, El Dhein, Edd Al Fursan, Zalingei, Jebel Marra and Wadi Salih.
ACT-Caritas collaborates with the Humanitarian Aid Commission of Sudan (HAC) and other ministries. The joint operation is managed under the legal umbrella of Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) in Sudan.
Milestones April - June 2007
Civilians have continued to be displaced by attacks and fighting. The humanitarian community remains challenged in meeting the needs of the growing displaced population due to insecurity, with targeted attacks and vehicle hijackings continuing against aid agencies.
Emergency response unit (EPRU)
- 662 households in four locations in south and west Darfur received plastic sheets to make waterproof shelters.
- Plastic sheets and mats, blankets, cooking sets, plastic water containers, soap and mosquito nets were delivered to the field stations ahead of the rainy season so that distributions would not be impeded by impassable roads.
Hygiene Promotion
- Over 446 people participated in clean up campaigns in internally displaced persons camps and host communities.
- Over 8,186 individuals, including school children, attended health and hygiene education sessions on solid waste disposal and kitchen utensil cleaning and storage.
- Over 2,800 persons, including teachers, police officers and community leaders, attended training workshops focusing on hygiene education and prevention of acute respiratory infection, acute water diarrhea and malaria.
Nutrition
- The supplementary feeding program provided rations to 14,740 beneficiaries, specifically impacting moderately malnourished children under 5 years, new mothers and women who are pregnant.
- 125 cases of severe malnutrition were treated through the out-patient therapeutic program.
Primary Health
- The primary health care clinics, including one mobile clinic, served 57,124 patients, treating 78,108 cases in both camps and host communities.
- 4,696 mothers and babies have attended clinics for maternal health care.
- 7,853 health workers and civilians received information and training in various areas of health care and nutrition education. Health workers also received specific trainings on malaria as well as HIV and AIDS.
Water and Sanitation
- 44 new boreholes were drilled, 17 new hand-dug wells were constructed and 74 existing hand pumps were rehabilitated.
- 899 household and school latrines were constructed.
- 4 latrines, 2 hand-dug wells and 4 boreholes were drilled for schools.
Protection, Psychosocial and Peace-building
A coach gives a pep talk. Photo: Mohammed Alsafi, ACT-Caritas
- A variety of daily programs continued, including income generating activities in all community centers.
- 42 sessions were carried out with 1,273 participants, focusing on conflict resolution, human rights, protection, peaceful coexistence and peace-building.
- Sport and recreation activities, such as football matches and cultural events, took place in four locations.
School Support
- Sudan Aid and SUDO have rehabilitated and maintained seven schools in IDP camps and host communities in three locations.
- Sudan Aid conducted capacity building training with 20 members of Parents and Teacher Associations, representing IDP and host community populations in Nyala.
- SCC has supported schools with chairs, desks, cupboards and stationary in south and west Darfur.
Agriculture
- SCC trained 80 farmers on improved farming practices.
- SCC & SUDO distributed seeds and tools for planting in the rainy season to 2,411 households.
Severe malnutrition crisis
The government hospital in Garsila has been receiving an influx of cases of severely malnourished children under two years old. To help the hospital respond to the crisis, the ACT-Caritas operation gave supplementary feeding rations for mothers and carried out trainings with hospital staff to improve management and care of patients. Most children were from families who were particularly vulnerable and recently displaced into camps.
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