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Picture story: Water woes in Darfur
Source: European Commission Humanitarian Aid department (ECHO)
Daniel Dickinson, ECHO
Website: http://ec.europa.eu/echo
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The people of Kass, 100 km from the provincial capital Nyala, do have access to water. But according to Corinna Kreidler, a European Commission Humanitarian Aid (ECHO) expert based in Nyala, south Darfur, both the amount available and quality are deteriorating.
'It is more difficult to access water as there is less in the town's tanks,' she explained. 'That means people are buying more water from traders which might be of a questionable quality. Already we are seeing more cases of diarrhoea.'
Water is in short supply in southern Darfur as the dry season nears its end.
In the small town of Kass, 100 km from the provincial capital Nyala, people are used to long queues at water points.
The supply of water has become more erratic since March. 'This pump has been broken for five days and we don't know when it will be fixed,' says community leader, Ahmed Ali Saleh.
The lack of free pump water means that many people are buying extra supplies from contaminated sources - and the number of diarrhoea cases is increasing.
As the rainy season approaches, there are fears that health services in Kass may be unable to cope with outbreaks of water-borne diseases like cholera. The health system was previously supported by NGOs that are no longer allowed to work in the country.
The population of Kass has increased fourfold to around 24,000 since 2004, when clashes between rebels and government-backed militia forced many people to flee their homes. These internally displaced people compete with residents for the available resources.
The international community has played a major role in supporting services in Kass, but continued insecurity means that many aid specialists have to fly in and out. ECHO funds a humanitarian air service as part of its 135 million euros (US$184 million) programme in Sudan.
Hassan Adam Idriss fled fighting in his village five years ago and is one of many displaced people who want to return home. 'Water is plentiful there and I have land to grow crops. I just want a normal life for my family.'
Text and Pictures: Daniel Dickinson,
European Commission Humanitarian Aid department (ECHO)
Water is in short supply in southern Darfur as the dry season nears its end.
In the small town of Kass, 100 km from the provincial capital Nyala, people are used to long queues at water points.
The supply of water has become more erratic since March. 'This pump has been broken for five days and we don't know when it will be fixed,' says community leader, Ahmed Ali Saleh.
The lack of free pump water means that many people are buying extra supplies from contaminated sources - and the number of diarrhoea cases is increasing.
As the rainy season approaches, there are fears that health services in Kass may be unable to cope with outbreaks of water-borne diseases like cholera. The health system was previously supported by NGOs that are no longer allowed to work in the country.
The population of Kass has increased fourfold to around 24,000 since 2004, when clashes between rebels and government-backed militia forced many people to flee their homes. These internally displaced people compete with residents for the available resources.
The international community has played a major role in supporting services in Kass, but continued insecurity means that many aid specialists have to fly in and out. ECHO funds a humanitarian air service as part of its 135 million euros (US$184 million) programme in Sudan.
Hassan Adam Idriss fled fighting in his village five years ago and is one of many displaced people who want to return home. 'Water is plentiful there and I have land to grow crops. I just want a normal life for my family.'
Text and Pictures: Daniel Dickinson,
European Commission Humanitarian Aid department (ECHO)
