Since the escalation of the violence that is devastating Sudan, MOAS has been keen to start a project aimed to assist the population, severely affected by the conflict. Day by day, armed clashes continue to rage, while simultaneously heightening fear among people and contributing to the overall instability of the nation and neighbouring countries.
The call for humanitarian aid is skyrocketing
The number of displaced people has reached unprecedented levels, with over 4.5 million IDP within Sudan. The conflict is having serious consequences also for neighbouring countries, creating a dramatic exodus, with already almost 1 million and a half fleeing to Chad, South Sudan, the Central African Republic, Ethiopia and Egypt. An average of 700 Sudanese arrive in Chad every day, South Sudan has reached the amount of 20.000 people who crossed the border in only one week and over 362.000 in total. As yet, roughly 6 million people – in most cases entire families – have been forced to leave their homes. In addition to this catastrophe, the conflict that erupted again recently in the Darfur region has worsened the unfolding humanitarian crisis, with thousands of people seeking safe shelters.
Persistent violence and the resulting damage to critical infrastructure have significantly hampered access to education, food, water and essential services, bringing them to a critical point. This crisis has amplified pre-existing challenges in various sectors. As a result, this situation has overwhelmed an already dire condition in the camps, overcrowded and lacking essential services for hosted communities. Among them, schools now serve as a temporary shelter for the displaced population, putting at risk the education for millions of children. Due to the conflict, around 19 million children are out of school, resulting in a real step backwards compared to the great progress made in Sudan education in recent years – before the impact of Covid-19. Sudan now risks being the worst education crisis in the world, jeopardising the future of the entire generations.
Child malnutrition
As too often happens in other conflict zones, children always pay the highest price, innocent victims and undeclared targets of protracted crises. Only between mid-May and mid-September of this year, more than 1,200 children under 5 have lost their lives in White Nile State due to a measles outbreak compounded with high levels of malnutrition. According to UNHCR, every week 4 children are victims of the lack of essential services, medicines and personnel. Lack of water and sanitation are putting the country on the brink of epidemics, with particularly risk of cholera.
In total, around 14 million children urgently need humanitarian assistance in Sudan, a number that is bound to increase dramatically without effective and prompt action.
MOAS shipping reached Sudan!
Since the beginning of the conflict, MOAS has been working to find partners to start a mission that would bring an effective help to the affected Sudanese population. Thanks to our partners Edesia Nutrition and Adra the shipment of 52 tons of therapeutic food reached Port Sudan, and will be soon distributed by the local organisation-partnered among the most vulnerable communities in the country. Our products specifically targeted to children suffering from acute malnutrition will help saving thousands of innocent lives. A second phase of the mission is aimed to procure and deliver essential medications urgently needed, made possible with our partners UNHCR and Action Medeor.
Final thoughts
Humanitarian partners play a crucial role in supplementing the provision of essential services and filling gaps in many fields, now more essential than ever. Their support is critically needed to sustain education services, especially as the government system is weakened and lacks adequate resources to cater for all children affected by the conflict. Despite the increasing needs for Sudanese population, the international humanitarian plan is only 39% is funded. In these contexts, international organisations and civil societies can make a real difference, and even little donations can help many lives.
Please, consider donate to MOASMissionSudan, only with your help we can continue our saving-lives mission in Sudan and make a real impact: https://www.moas.eu/donate-moas-sudan.
If you are interested in the work of MOAS and our partners, please follow us on social media, sign up for our newsletter and share our content. You can also reach out to us at any time via [email protected]. If you want to support our operations, please give what you can at www.moas.eu/donate.
