Crisis in Darfur and Chad

The rains are coming to Sudan and threatening the lives of the already desperate refugees in Darfur and Chad. The Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF), Scotland’s leading aid agency, has launched an urgent appeal to the Scottish public to raise money to help combat the pending emergency.

With the rains, urgent assistance is needed to help fight the increased risk of cholera from contaminated water supplies and malaria from growth in mosquito populations in the camps. Pregnant women and children under five are at particular risk.

SCIAF has been working with the Darfur Emergency Response Operation (DERO) since 2004 supporting refugee communities in the camps. The money raised from this appeal will be dedicated to providing food, safe drinking water, medicine, mosquito nets, and safe sanitation.

Paul Chitnis, Chief Executive of SCIAF, who recently visited Darfur, said:

“The work of the aid agencies saves lives. The situation has been critical for the refugees in Darfur and Chad for a very long time. When the rains hit, the conditions for the thousands living in the camps are going to get a lot worse. It is vital Scottish people give generously to this appeal as a failure to act will cost thousands of lives.”

Anne Masterson, Director of DERO, said:

“All recent reports conclude that the acute emergency situation in Darfur is far from over, and that the actual emergency phase will continue. Sanitation is a major factor and particularly critical – it can also be badly affected by the coming rains. In West Darfur nearly 50% of mortality in children was related to diarrhoea. The funds raised by the generosity of Scots will help the agencies on the ground provide better sanitation and safe drinking water, as well as the other necessities to deal with the rains such as food, medicine, mosquito nets, and shelter.”

You can donate online here, by telephone on 0141 354 5555, or by post to SCIAF, 19 Park Circus, Glasgow, G3 6BE.