Mercy Corps: Making a Difference in the Camps of Zalingei, Sudan
As the humanitarian crisis in Sudan’s troubled Darfur region continues to unfold, Mercy Corps is helping to improve conditions in overflowing camps.
With your help, we’ve dispatched emergency workers to deliver critical aid to some of the world’s poorest, most desperate families. As Mercy Corps' lifesaving work in Darfur intensifies, we need your continued assistance to support vital new initiatives.
Relief efforts are focused on the camps around Zalingei, a city in western Darfur. Over the past few months, more than 60,000 internally displaced persons have streamed into the city and its surrounding areas. This flood of humanity has had a severe impact of the city’s infrastructure and sanitation, resulting in miserable conditions and greater likelihood of disease.
In response to this emergency, Mercy Corps is building latrines and conducting grassroots hygiene and health education campaigns. These efforts are essential to prevent malaria and diarrheal diseases that threaten the lives of children.
To date, more than 85 latrines are under construction. Mercy Corps is working with both camp residents and the community to ensure quick completion.
“The community is putting their time and energy into digging the pits for latrines and keeping existing latrines clean,” said Susan Romanski, Mercy Corps’ Sudan Team Leader.
As the organization continues its push to stabilize health in camps along the Zalingei corridor, it’s also conducting assessments to determine other urgent needs throughout the camps.
Mercy Corps is currently gearing up to improve existing water sources and develop new sources, in addition to creating educational programs and youth activities to engage the tens of thousands of children living in the camps.
Even though the situation around Zalingei seems to be stabilizing, there are still enormous needs among the nearly 191,000 internally displaced persons in the Zalingei corridor.
“There’s still a situation where over 600 villages have been destroyed. The shelters people are living in are appalling – often just plastic bags stretched out over a sort of frame – and it’s raining,” said Randy Martin, Mercy Corps’ Global Emergency Operations (GEO) Director. “People will need assistance for at least a year and a half, even if a peace settlement is reached soon.”
Mercy Corps is making a difference in Darfur, where “the world’s worst humanitarian crisis” has claimed so many lives. Your generous gift will help us mount an even stronger response to meet the needs of families who have lost everything.
Please give today.
Make a Donation through
Mercy Corps http://www.mercycorps.org
Please also see:
Immediate aid sent to address the crisis in Sudan
United Nations Asks Mercy Corps to Assist 60,000 Sudanese in West Darfur
http://www.mercycorps.org/items/2040/
Sudan: UN appeals for urgent funding to fill huge overall aid shortfall
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=11730&Cr=Darfur&Cr1=
PRESS STATEMENT ON SUDAN BY SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT
http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2004/sc8173.doc.htm
Darfur Rebels Agree To Resume Talks 'With Reservations'
http://www.islamonline.net/English/News/2004-08/25/article01.shtml
As the humanitarian crisis in Sudan’s troubled Darfur region continues to unfold, Mercy Corps is helping to improve conditions in overflowing camps.
With your help, we’ve dispatched emergency workers to deliver critical aid to some of the world’s poorest, most desperate families. As Mercy Corps' lifesaving work in Darfur intensifies, we need your continued assistance to support vital new initiatives.
Relief efforts are focused on the camps around Zalingei, a city in western Darfur. Over the past few months, more than 60,000 internally displaced persons have streamed into the city and its surrounding areas. This flood of humanity has had a severe impact of the city’s infrastructure and sanitation, resulting in miserable conditions and greater likelihood of disease.
In response to this emergency, Mercy Corps is building latrines and conducting grassroots hygiene and health education campaigns. These efforts are essential to prevent malaria and diarrheal diseases that threaten the lives of children.
To date, more than 85 latrines are under construction. Mercy Corps is working with both camp residents and the community to ensure quick completion.
“The community is putting their time and energy into digging the pits for latrines and keeping existing latrines clean,” said Susan Romanski, Mercy Corps’ Sudan Team Leader.
As the organization continues its push to stabilize health in camps along the Zalingei corridor, it’s also conducting assessments to determine other urgent needs throughout the camps.
Mercy Corps is currently gearing up to improve existing water sources and develop new sources, in addition to creating educational programs and youth activities to engage the tens of thousands of children living in the camps.
Even though the situation around Zalingei seems to be stabilizing, there are still enormous needs among the nearly 191,000 internally displaced persons in the Zalingei corridor.
“There’s still a situation where over 600 villages have been destroyed. The shelters people are living in are appalling – often just plastic bags stretched out over a sort of frame – and it’s raining,” said Randy Martin, Mercy Corps’ Global Emergency Operations (GEO) Director. “People will need assistance for at least a year and a half, even if a peace settlement is reached soon.”
Mercy Corps is making a difference in Darfur, where “the world’s worst humanitarian crisis” has claimed so many lives. Your generous gift will help us mount an even stronger response to meet the needs of families who have lost everything.
Please give today.
Make a Donation through
Mercy Corps http://www.mercycorps.org
Please also see:
Immediate aid sent to address the crisis in Sudan
United Nations Asks Mercy Corps to Assist 60,000 Sudanese in West Darfur
http://www.mercycorps.org/items/2040/
Sudan: UN appeals for urgent funding to fill huge overall aid shortfall
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=11730&Cr=Darfur&Cr1=
PRESS STATEMENT ON SUDAN BY SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT
http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2004/sc8173.doc.htm
Darfur Rebels Agree To Resume Talks 'With Reservations'
http://www.islamonline.net/English/News/2004-08/25/article01.shtml