Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Khartoum (Fides Service) - When Amona Adam Osman was brought to South Darfur Feeding Centre she was all skin and bones. Her mother had very little milk because she herself had nothing to eat. The staff saw the baby was suffering from serious malnutrition and decided to send her to a Catholic clinic which specialises in treatment of these cases. After two months at the Clinic Amona was still in a critical condition but on the way to recovery and well enough to return to the Feeding Centre. Amona’s mother had also been given food and had gradually regained enough strength to breast-feed her baby again .
This is one of many cases treated with the help of Caritas Internationalis and Action by Churches Together International ACT, a global alliance of churches and related agencies working to save lives and support communities.
“Caritas Internationalis has worked with ACT International in Darfur since July 2004,” says François Large Caritas Internationalis Programme Officer illustrating the activity in the western Sudan region of Darfur suffering from the world’s worst ever humanitarian crisis.
Since July 2004 ACT-Caritas has assisted 250,000 children; 39,324 were taken to feeding centres and of these 23, 584 have already been discharged after reaching average weight for their age. Another 250 children in very serious conditions were treated at therapeutic nutrition centres and 228 have recovered and been allowed to go home.
“In Darfur our 35 experts are assisted by 300 local helpers. We work together with other humanitarian agencies, mainly denominational ” says Large.
“At the moment Caritas Internationalis and ACT International are assisting 500,000 people half of them children, in various fields, healthcare being the most important. We have set up and run 11 clinics. Feeding is also another essential field of assistance, particularly for women and children. And we also opened small schools. Besides emergency aid we try to help people become self standing. We give them seed, help them dig wells and give training courses”.
The fighting which started in 2003 caused most of the people to leave their homes and despite the presence of African Union observer Mission violence continues . “I spent a month in Darfur” says Large “everywhere I saw destruction and desolation. People seek shelter in the few urban centres where there is a presence of government representatives which the horseback militia dare not attack. The most vulnerable are the women. In fact women who leave the camp to search for firewood at great risk are escorted by teams of humanitarian personnel and African Union peacekeepers.”
“One major commitment at the moment is to help the Dinka return to their region in South Sudan. The Dinka fled to Darfur to escape civil war in South Sudan, but now they find themselves again in the midst of war in Darfur” says Large. “Caritas Holland has started a repatriation programme which includes digging water holes along the routes the displaced people walk to return home”.
Besides working in South Sudan Caritas Internationalis also assists Sudanese refugees in Chad. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 14/12/2005 righe 51 parole 642)
