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Sudan - Darfur - Humanitarian Crisis Maps |
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As many as 300,000 are at risk of starvation in the Darfur province of Sudan. The United Nations has described this situation as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, with “catastrophic levels” of suffering. The tragedy began 18 months ago. Black Sudanese rebels in Darfur revolted. The Government of Sudan armed Arab militias, known as the Janjaweed, to crush the rebellion. Many innocent civilians have been killed, raped and terrorized by the Janjaweed, who continue even now to attack their villages. 1.2 million people have fled for their lives to makeshift refugee camps in the Darfur region and across the border in Chad. NLWA In Sudan The looming crisis is so threatening that two of our key staff members went to Sudan to see how NLWA could help. They returned from Darfur. They witnessed, first-hand, the incredible suffering and hopelessness of the refugees there. Their hearts were touched by the lack of safety, food, shelter, water and sanitation—everything to sustain life. They report that the situation is monumental: "Upon arrival at the Kalma Camp on the
outskirts of Nyala in Southern Darfur, we were witness to a large
sea of people, every one of them was urgently needing food and water.
“One woman approached us with a single, five-pound bag of
grain. With desperation she told us that this was all she received
to feed her four children for one month. “We met another woman
who was crying because her baby was very "What also caught our attention was the number of women and children and few men. Where were the men?!! The UN estimates that 65% of the men have been killed in the fighting, leaving widows and children to fend for themselves. A physician we met there told us that many of the women are suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome. They have witnessed the loss of their homes and the death of husbands and some of their children." "Lack of sanitation and hygiene is evident. The camp is a breeding ground for diseases like cholera, meningitis, measles and acute diarrhea." The team reported that these desperate scenes are repeated again and again all around this camp of over 75,000 people. This is but one of over 100 refugee camps in Darfur. And as bad as the situation is inside the camps, there are still thousands of people who are left outside and not being helped by any other agencies. The World Health Organization estimates that refugees are now dying at the rate of 10,000 every month from starvation and disease. Our Response Through providing food on the journey home (which could take a week or more on foot), as well as when they begin to resettle into their devastated villages, you can offer hope and compassion to these desperate families. The logistics of purchasing and delivering food and aid in this area of the world is complex and challenging. But all things considered, in addition to transportation costs, it only takes $71 to feed a family of seven for a week with highly nutritious food packages containing sorghum flour, rice, chic peas and lentils. That is only $1.45 per day, per person. Would you consider responding to this need, through a gift of $71 or $142? A gift of $1,000 or more would literally save hundreds from starvation. Or as you are able, a gift of $25, $50 or $75 would be a great help to a struggling family on the journey home. Time is of the essence. GIVE A GIFT NOWPROVIDING MORE INFORMATION: |
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© 2003 New Life World Aid, Inc. All rights reserved Member of the Global Alliance: New Life World Aid, GAiN Canada, GAiN Germany, GAiN Australia |
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sick. The baby just lay still in her arms - not moving, too weak
even to cry. A pediatrician in the camp said he daily saw children
he was treating die because their little bodies could not fight
off disease. Malnutrition not only weakens the immune system’s
ability to fight disease, a starving child’s organs eventually
stop functioning leading to complex illness and death."