While people living in camps for the internally displaced now have access to basic services, remote communities in Darfur have received little humanitarian assistance. ACT-Caritas is trying to improve sanitation and thereby health in such communities but a lack of security is hampering operations.

By Charlotte Brudenell, ACT-Caritas

Abata, West Darfur - The international community has often defined the conflict in Darfur as one divided along ethnic lines, but this simplified analysis is crumbling in the face of reality. Alliances have now shifted and groups previously on one side of the conflict before last May's Darfur Peace Agreement are now fighting each other, while some armed militias continue to attack rebel areas and civilians alike.

Remote communities have to date suffered from increased isolation and neglect. Many of these communities— be they African, Arab or from mixed ethnic backgrounds—are now most affected by the ongoing violence.

Humanitarian and development aid is vital. It is not only a way to limit polarisation and build bridges between the different communities in Darfur, but it also addresses one root cause of the conflict in Darfur—lack of development.

In November 2006, ACT-Caritas launched a programme in remote villages in West Darfur to provide clean water and improve hygiene - through education and the building of latrines - and so reduce the spread of disease and the prevalence of illness.

The lack of clean water is due to rudimentary, unprotected water sources and poor hygiene. In the village of Abata, ACT-Caritas has implemented a latrine building project. There used to be some latrines at the school, but these collapsed over twenty years ago. Due to the lack of sanitation, diseases are spread by flies and pests, and when the rains come, water sources are contaminated.

ACT-Caritas's programme begins with environmental education - informing the community about good hygiene practices. An informed community is then mobilised to build their own latrines.

Fatiha is the coordinator of the latrine project in Abata village. Fatiha tells us that people used to go to the toilet in the open. "During the rainy season this would have a serious effect on our health. We get our water from the wadi* but during the rains the water has worms in it - white ones and red ones. You can see them with your eyes. There is always a lot of sickness."

Fatiha works on a voluntary basis, encouraging people to dig latrines in their compounds, registering the households participating in the project, and monitoring their progress.

ACT-Caritas has provided technical advice and materials such as concrete slabs and fencing for the latrines, while the community worked to construct the latrines. Two hundred and fifty households have now built their own pit latrines.

"The people have been willing to participate in this project," says Fatiha. "People have learnt about hygiene and now we realise that latrines are a good thing; they will clean up our village and protect people from disease."

Two blocks of latrines have also been built at the only school in Abata.

The headmaster explains the long-term impact: "The new toilets will help prevent disease amongst the students. These facilities will also encourage young people to follow good hygiene practice. Instilling youths with good hygiene practice will improve the health of the whole community in the future."

ACT-Caritas is seeking European Union funds to continue and expand its work in hygiene promotion and building more latrines, as well as for drilling boreholes to construct waterpoints. The initial project was implemented using funds from the UK-based Disasters and Emergency Committee.

There are over 1,500 households in Abata, so there is still a great need for latrines, while boreholes will provide the village with clean water.

However, due to the lack of security, ACT-Caritas has only just been able to return there since December. Last month, two vehicles from the only other international NGO working in the region were attacked and stolen on their way to Abata. All humanitarian movement to the area was stopped while investigations into the latest incident took place.

The same week, the ACT-Caritas water and sanitation team was turned back by the community in Korare, where they were implementing a water and sanitation project, due to mobilisation of armed groups in the village. Explosions could be heard in the area the same day.

In Korare, the project team had already gotten the community involved. Hygiene education was in its beginnings and potential sites for boreholes had already been identified. However, the population has now been displaced and is unlikely to return for some time.

Similarly, in five other villages to the southeast of Zalingei, where ACT-Caritas has begun to implement water and sanitation programmes, work has stopped due to the presence of armed militias that are now fighting each other in the area, adding another twist to the already convoluted conflict in Darfur.

However, with the situation in Darfur becoming increasingly complex, the ACT-Caritas operation has correspondingly been set up in a flexible manner, so as to help those in need, when possible.

*A seasonal river bed

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Action by Churches Together International (ACT) and Caritas Internationalis (CI) are working together in a joint response to the Darfur crisis.

ACT International is a global alliance of churches and related agencies working to save lives and support communities in emergencies worldwide.

Caritas Internationalis is a confederation of 162 Catholic relief, development, and social service organizations present in 200 countries and territories.

For further information, please contact:

ACT Communications Officer Callie Long (mobile/cell phone +41 79 358 3171) or Caritas Internationalis Media Officer Nancy McNally (phone: +39 06 698 797 52)