Under pressure - Kass town in Darfur

17 March 2008

An outbreak of tribal clashes among the Arab tribes of Targam and Abala resulted in more people being displaced through their fear of being attacked.

Currently 54 villages have been affected and the displaced population are mainly women and children. In a village located 50 Km south of Kass it is estimated that over 24,000 people have been affected directly or indirectly by the clashes.

These strains in already stretched regions mean that CARE’s work is vital. We are providing water and sanitation facilities, health care and nutrition services to those people in need. We intend to expand our water and sanitation projects in the Kass locality, to both displaced people and the vulnerable communities where people are living as refugees.

We are also running a mobile clinic. Our health and nutrition project targets a population of 5,000 displaced people (mainly new arrivals to the area) who have been affected by the tribal clashes. From August through to the end of September 2007, 2,994 beneficiaries had been treated at the facility.

Women’s health clubs have been formed and members trained in five areas of hygiene (water, personal, food, sanitation, environment), particularly looking at how to deal with water-borne diseases. Special emphasis is laid on hand washing with soap after using the toilet, before and after meals, and for personal hygiene.

Other ways CARE is helping:

• Construction of 200 toilets has been completed
• Two existing hand pumps were rehabilitated
• Twelve health clubs were formed and members trained in health education
• 15 medical assistants (1 doctor, 7 nurses and 7 nutritionist) trained in Integrated Management of Childhood Illness
• 16 (two males and 14 females) nutrition assistants trained