Friends of Sudan

Our partner church in Sudan recently sent a delegation into Darfur to assess needs and opportunities.   What follows is their report just received.   We have, in places, slightly ‘tidied up’ the English and we have deleted individuals’ name for security reasons.  Otherwise thois is entirely their report in their words.   If you sense the Lord’s leading to respond in some practical way, we are able to channel financial support to Darfur through the church.

Darfur Need Assessment June, 14-18, 2008

1. Introduction:

The Darfur conflict has existed for nearly six years, since 2003, despite efforts of the international, regional and local communities towards resolvement of the question.     AIC Sudan, being part and parcel of the civil society in Sudan, took it on itself as a moral obligation and duty to stand with the darfurian citizens affected by the war and conflict who suffer the impact of the problem.

Hence an assessment team from the church personal was sent to find out the latest humanitarian situations on the ground. The team comprised of two persons, male and female. They spent nearly five days in Darfur. They were able to visit at least one major camp out of eight and also meet with some women households as well the camp commanders. The purpose of the assessment is to enable the church to relevantly contribute its efforts to Darfur peace processes. Hence, the objective is to determine those acutely affected displaced persons, identify their respective primary needs and determine the material and monetary costs of meeting their needs.   This is in order to support the peace processes and help with moral reconstruction.

2. Findings:

2.1 The levels of abuse in the area and especially in the camps did not vanish. Female persons of varied age fall under sexual abuse. Mostly armed units that operate in the territory as major factors… mating girls of 12 years old and above, even to old aged women. Once such subjects are pregnant they are abandoned. They go else where. Sometimes those who undergo such treatments and after their babies are delivered they are forcefully snatched away from the infants to go and serve as wives to those who snatched them. Children are adopted to grow up under the care of non relatives.

Food scarcity exists.   There is no doubt that some families go without food for a number of days.   Schools are not enough in the camps as well those at nearby areas hardly accessed by the displaced children.   This is for various reasons including transport costs, schools fees, school uniforms, supplementary feeding, school materials etc.   The poor camp pupils can not afford these things.

There are not enough water points for the displaced persons in where they camp of course food and non food utensils are also scarce including clothingʼs and other of life’s necessities.

It can therefore be said that women and children are the greatest sufferers and the most abused. Greater populations of children are not living with their real parents but with the kindness of others if not in the street of near by towns to camp. School structures are not enough and are hardly accessible to the children. Water points/tanks are not enough.

3. Recommendation:

3.1 Provision of food and non food items is welcomed to assist the acutely vulnerable persons

3.2 Provision for education of children covering supplementary feeding and school materials including uniforms and transport means plus fees for out of camp schools.

3.3 Female persons be provided training to enable them to earn a living and also know to their humanitarian rights for sake of resisting abuse which they sometimes ignorantly face.

We are now beginning to plan the 2008 Preachers’ Workshop in Khartoum and we covet the prayers of our supporters.   We would also like to hear from anyone who would be willing to sponsor a pastor or church worker to attend the conference.

This year John Brand, Chairman of Friends of Sudan, who has been running these annual seminars for several years, will be accompanied by fellow Trustee, Craig Dyer, who will share the teaching during the week.   This will be Craig’s first visit to Sudan.

The conference dates are Monday -Friday 1st to 5th September.  As well as the preachers’ workshop, John and Craig will visit one or two of the chuch run projects which are being supported by Friends of Sudan.

Would you be willing to sponsor a Sudanese pastor or church worker to attend the conference?

These events have proved to be an  immense blessing and encouragement to these folks and yet they are able to contribute so little themselves financially.   It costs around £100 per delegate to run the conference, and that includes two return international flights, accommodation in Khartoum, use of the premises where we meet, food for the week and some other logistic expenses.   This would be £100 very well invested in the work of the Kingdom in Sudan.  If you would be able to help in this way, or even give a smaller amount, we - and the Sudanese Church - would be extremely grateful.  You can give, either by contacting us or by using the online donations facility.

Friends of Sudan has been set up to raise the profile of Christians in Sudan, especially those in the Africa Inland Church-Sudan (AIC-S), and to channel prayer and financial support to them.

The work has been set up, with the active encouragement and support of the Church Leaders in Sudan, by John Brand, seen here with Rev John Kongi, Assistant Bishop of the AIC-S. John, until recently, served as the European Director of Aim International (Africa Inland Mission) and has made regular visits to both the Khartoum and Juba areas of Sudan. We are a registered Scottish charity – no. SCO38824

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