CERF allocates $1 million to respond to the needs of returnees to Southern Sudan
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A refugee in front of a tent at Ikafe transit centre, before her departure to South Sudan[Photo: UNICEF]
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7 October 2008: An estimated 550,000 to 600,000 Sudanese left their country to seek safety in neighbouring countries as a result of the civil war in Southern Sudan. Peace and stability is now being slowly realized in most parts of South Sudan, creating the humanitarian conditions in which many refugees can return home.
The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) is transporting Sudanese refugees from Egypt, Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda to South Sudan and then to their final destinations. Over 19,000 refugees are returning home thanks to the CERF-funded UNHCR project.
[Last Update: 24 November 2008]
CERF allocates more than $5 million for humaniratian needs in Sudan
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A malnourished child and his mother in Sudan
[Photo: WHO]
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1 July 2008: The conflict in the Abyei region of Sudan has led to an urgent need for emergency humanitarian assistance. Many Sudanese have had their food security threatened and livelihoods disrupted by the ongoing conflict. Farming and other activities important to food security for IDPs and host populations have been obstructed as a result of the crisis and small food reserves have been exhausted. The health status of IDPs and host communities continues to deteriorate at a high rate. An assessment revealed a serious risk of high numbers of children becoming malnourished and being infected by disease such as malaria.
The World Food Programme (WFP) is using a CERF grant to provide food assistance to 90,000 conflict affected persons, including some 50,000 IDPs uprooted by the conflict. WFP is purchasing and transporting 3,000 metric tonnes of food commodities by air. The food commodities are then delivered to twenty distributions points for general food distribution and therapeutic and supplementary feeding programmes.
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is using CERF-funds to respond to emergency maternal and child health and nutrition services, including treatment for 5,000 malnourished children and support for the treatment of 2,400 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition. In addition, a measles vaccination is being implemented in collaboration with WHO and partners agencies for over 28,000 children under the age of thirteen.
UNICEF is also running a water, sanitation, and hygiene projects for those affected by the Abyei conflict. To address the high risk of water borne disease among IDPs and host populations, UNICEF is purchasing and distributing water purification supplies, supporting the drilling of new water points and rehabilitation of non-functioning points, and installing four emergency water treatment units.
Finally UNICEF has also procured emergency non-food items including receiving blankets, plastic sheeting for shelter, jerry cans, mosquito nets, a cooking set and sleeping mats for more than 2,000 households
The World Health Organization (WHO) is using CERF funds for disease surveillance and control amongst IDPs and host populations. WHO is also providing health facilities with essential drugs and medical supplies, such as emergency health kits and anti-malarial drugs for 50,000 IDPs and 40,000 people in host communities.
[Last Update: 17 July 2008]
CERF allocates over $2.8 million for emergency assistance in Western Sudan
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IDPs in Sudan [Photo: IRIN]
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17 April 2008: The recent fighting that erupted in the Northern Corridor of West Darfur between government forces and rebel troops led to the displacement of an additional 57,000 individuals.
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is using a grant from the CERF to jump-start several humanitarian programs. Activities include the provision of non-food and emergency shelter items, such as blankets, sleeping mats, jerry cans, plastic sheeting and women’s clothing to the affected population.
Another project is aiming to ensure access to primary health care for some 150,000 individuals, including 70,000 women and children, who are receiving essential drugs and maternal health services. In addition, the UN agency is supplying bed nets for protection against malaria to 10,000 households, as well as ten fridges and ten cold boxes to re-establish the cold chain system for routine vaccination activities.
Malnutrition rates are currently low and reflecting seasonal trends. But as part of a contingency plan, UNICEF is conducting nutrition assessments, re-equipping the therapeutic feeding program infrastructure and strengthening the response capacity of the existing nutrition services.
Water and sanitation facilities came under attack during the recent offensive, leaving 15,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in urgent need of water supply and sanitation services, while 48,500 people are at risk of a disease outbreak. UNICEF is regularly chlorinating water sources and constructing new facilities to ensure access to drinking water to 29,000 beneficiaries. It is also providing 1,000 temporary household latrines to 9,000 community members and sanitation facilities to 1,400 school children. In addition, the UN agency is distributing over 28,000 cartons of soap alongside hygiene promotion messages.
Finally, UNICEF is setting up temporary learning spaces for 10,000 children and supporting teachers, parents and community leaders to manage these classrooms. It is also organizing catch-up classes and providing emergency alternative learning programs.
The conflict in the Northern Corridor has also further compromised the health care system due to the destruction of facilities. The World Health Organization (WHO) is using a CERF allocation to restore health care services in ten locations and strengthen the surveillance of communicable diseases, such as acute respiratory tract infections, malaria, measles and diarrhea, by supplying communication equipment and trained staff. The entire project is aiming to assist some 150,000 people, of which 20,000 to 30,000 are still displaced.
With a CERF grant the World Food Program (WFP) is renting a fixed wing aircraft for three months to serve the area of southern West Darfur. This contract will release helicopters that are currently used in the region for humanitarian activities to handle instead the increased demands to deliver light cargo, consisting of non-food items, to northwestern locations.
[Last Update: 18 April 2008]