Wendy and the Medair team in Southern Sudan describe a recent emergency response to the flood-affected residents of the city of Renk.

When we first arrived in the camps, I was immediately touched by the many vulnerable children that I saw walking around. They were bathing and drinking from the same puddles. I knew that those puddles were also prime territory for mosquito breeding, which would increase the risk of a malaria outbreak. I felt sadness and compassion for all of the people around me, suddenly displaced from their homes, and now lacking adequate latrines or facilities for personal hygiene, and facing significant health risks.

In early August 2007, our Medair team of eight people had been mobilised to the city of Renk, in the Upper Nile province of Southern Sudan. Our task was to provide an emergency response to the thousands of people who were made homeless by the severe flooding that began in the second week of July. In Renk, the nearby Korachil River and River Nile had overflowed because of the rainfall, and the excess water could not drain away easily. Several factors contributed to the flooding, including the lack of an evacuation pipe, the local cotton soil being poorly absorbent, and the road from Khartoum to Renk acting as an artificial dam which prevented the water from running off naturally. Throughout Sudan, the flooding was devastating to many communities, and by 20 July 2007, a state of disaster had been declared in six states, including Renk.

Rebeccah's Story

We began our emergency response by conducting a rapid needs assessment in the camps. I spoke with Rebeccah Nechil, who described the terrors of fleeing the rising waters with her nine children. When the heavy rains started, Rebeccah and her family fled into their house, but when the water started pouring in, they were forced to flee. She carried whatever possessions she could with her. However, when the water rose to the level of her hips, she concentrated on carrying her children, many of whose heads could not reach above the water. Most of Rebeccah's animals fled or died in the floods. Fortunately, all of her children survived, but many have now become sick because of parasites in the water and poor hygiene in the area.

Rebeccah's situation in the camp was typical of many of the displaced residents. She was concerned about the lack of food and water, the worsening health situation, and the cold temperatures at night. She was very pleased when she received one of the 1,500 Non-Food Item (NFI) kits distributed by Medair (in collaboration with UNICEF and Mercy Corps), with each kit containing blankets, water containers, mosquito nets, and cooking utensils. However, although it was a helpful start, she still had to share two mosquito nets and two blankets between a household of eleven people.

Many Displaced People, Many Desperate Needs

Our team listened to personal stories and needs from many people in the camps. One family was very grateful, saying, "That you are here means so much for us. You ask us what we need and we know that you want to help us. We hope you can bring the things we need. May God bless you for that!"

After spending one and a half days conducting the needs assessment, the picture that emerged was grim. Many people fled their homes as part of the city of Renk was flooded. Although the city's water treatment plant was still operational, it was only accessible by boat. Furthermore, since August is typically the rainiest month of the year, it appeared likely that flooding would continue in the months ahead, with urgent needs remaining until at least October.

The main diseases in the camps were chest infections, diarrhoea, and malaria, with no outbreaks reported. However, unless sanitation conditions improved, there would undoubtedly be an outbreak soon. We noted a lack of safe water, and an appalling lack of latrines, with people defecating throughout the camp. There were only 13 latrines in Camp One, and none in Camp Two. There were also insufficient facilities for personal hygiene, and a general lack of awareness about the importance of hygiene for good health. In addition, there were not enough insecticides or mosquito nets. When coupled with the stagnant water in the camps, this may lead to a significant increase in malaria cases in September and October. Other resources that were lacking included plastic sheets, blankets, and paediatric drugs. Some of the agencies that do longer-term development work in the area were overwhelmed by the scope of the crisis.

A Plan to Provide New Hope

After the needs assessment, our team implemented a plan that would address health concerns and also improve access to water and sanitation (WatSan). Our WatSan specialists immediately began building an emergency water treatment system, along with emergency latrines. Meanwhile our health specialists began conducting hygiene training among the community. For the next week, we educated displaced residents about the proper use of latrines, and the importance of hand-washing, burying stools, and boiling drinking water.

Now in mid-August, our work continues, but so too do the rains. We are pleased that we have been able to provide clean water and improve the health of people in these flood-affected areas. Our desire is that by providing these life-saving facilities and training, the increased quality of life will give these families new hope until the floodwaters recede, when they can begin the journey to rebuilding their lives.

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Medair is an international non-governmental organisation (NGO), with its operational headquarters located in Switzerland. Its Relief & Rehabilitation programmes in Southern Sudan have been running since 1992.

In Southern Sudan, Medair provides emergency medical and water assistance for outbreaks, large people movements, and nutritional emergencies in a number of locations across the region as well as improving access to primary health care and safe water sources in Upper Nile. In the northern states, Medair provides access to primary health care and water and sanitation for up to 210,000 conflict-affected persons in West Darfur; works with war-displaced people in Khartoum; and supports access to primary health care in the Nuba Mountains in South Kordofan.

Medair's work in Southern Sudan is currently supported with the assistance of UNICEF, DFID (British Government), BUZA (Dutch Government), SDC/DDC (Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation), The Humanitarian Aid Department of the European Commission (ECHO), ERF (Emergency Response Fund/UNDP administrated by OCHA) and the United Nation 'Common Humanitarian Fund for Sudan.'

Medair's life-saving activities are also dependent upon private financial support. To contribute to this work, please visit www.medair.org (Southern Sudan section.)