Oxfam IrelandO

A fragile existence

oxfam vehiclePhoto 1: Introduction

With over 2 million people fleeing the conflict in Darfur to live in camps and towns, the needs of people who have remained in some of the villages is often overlooked. Around Kebkabiya, in North Darfur, Oxfam is working in more than 30 villages, and, apart from MSF running some health clinics, Oxfam is the only organisation working in these rural areas.

Photo 2: Water at Umloata Village

kaltom collecting waterKaltom Ibrahim Deen 'This hand pump has been here for about 2 to 3 months. Before we used to collect water from the wadi far away. It used to take me about one and a half hours - now it takes about 30 minutes. Everyone was asked to bring sticks so that we could build this fence around the water pump so that animals can't get inside. I collect water twice a day but if I have a lot of other activities, like washing, then I'll come 3 or 5 times.'

What difference has it made?
'Because I have water nearby it's made everything easier for me and I feel better for it. It's meant that we can go about our business. And it's safer because it's inside the village.'

Women in Darfur routinely face assault and harassment when they leave the village, to collect firewood, water and grass. Oxfam's water points are carefully placed in or close to the village to reduce the risk of violence.

The general public funded the Umloata water pump through gifts brought from the Oxfam Unwrapped catalogue.

clean up campaignPhoto 3: Hygiene campaign - Umloata village

'I'm doing this for the clean up campaign. We clear and clean up three times a week'
Isheia Abdu Karum Mohmmed

One of Oxfam's public health activities in the village is a 'clean up campaign'.

What difference has it made?
'Since we started (the Oxfam-supported programme to clean up the village), life has been a lot better than before. When we started there were a lot of diseases, especially diarrhoea in the village.clearing up has reduced this. The campaign started 5 months ago. As soon as we received the cleaning materials we started cleaning. We used to collect grass and sell it at the market to buy soap - but now it's too insecure to go and collect grass.' Khadiga Yahya Idriss.

Alfadeial Ahamad Abdalla with horsePhoto 4: Para vets - Morlong village

Alfadeial Ahamad Abdalla is one of twenty para-vets who have received basic animal health training through an Oxfam programme. There's one para-vet per 5-6 villages. The community selects the person to be trained and the post is voluntary.the rest of the time Alfadeial is a teacher.

'.We received training (with the veterinary department) on how to identify and treat diseases, the types of medicines and how to use them, how to vaccinate, how to communicate with the animal's owners. If it's a problem I don't know how to treat I report back to the office and the veterinary department. People don't have to pay for my assistance nor the medicines. When I run out of treatments I go back to Oxfam and they replace the drugs and treatments that I've used.'

What difference has it made?
'We have had a lot of benefits from this man's services. Before he was trained we used to see a lot of dead animals around the village (which spread disease). Since he's been trained we don't see so many dead animals.he's saved the lives of many animals and he stops us for having to travel far to seek help.' Ibrahim Esea Omur, village resident

Oxfam hopes to train 15-20 more volunteer paravets during the next year.

treadle pumpPhoto 5: Seeds & treadle pumps - Hilelat village

In the village of Hilelat, Oxam has constructed an open well, distributed treadle pumps and seeds - onions, okra, tomatoes, and watermelons. And this month people will receive rain fed seeds, like millet, sorghum, and vegetables.

Oxfam has also constructed school latrines and community centres.

The treadle pumps and seeds were funded through FAO. The open well, toilets and community centres were funded through ECHO.

returning homePhoto 7: Returning home.

Security continues to be the main challenge. The situation is both fragile and volatile. Oxfam is often unable to reach the villages because it is too dangerous.

Many of the people displaced by the Darfur conflict want to return home to villages such as these. But for most of the more than two million people who have fled their homes, going home is an impossible dream. And all too easily the people living in these villages might at any time have to flee to the towns and camps.