2014 marked the 10th anniversary of ACT’s programme of work in Darfur in partnership with Caritas.

The UN has described Sudan’s western Darfur region as one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world, with 300,000 people having been killed and 2.3 million violently displaced. Current estimates say 1.2 million Darfuris live in camps and 3.2 million rely on humanitarian aid. Those displaced are living predominantly in camps in both Darfur and nearby Chad, where access for humanitarian workers is limited, severely reducing the ability to deliver aid.

Since the beginning of the crisis, the ACT-Caritas programme has raised more than US$120m for health, nutrition, water and sanitation, livelihoods, and emergency preparedness and response.

In Hamedia camp near Zalingei in central Darfur, the ACT-Caritas emergency response unit offers essential household goods, such as plastic mats, blankets, jerry cans, soap, cooking sets and mosquito nets.

When people arrive at the camp they are first registered with the World Food Programme, in order to receive monthly food rations. When a new plot of land becomes available within the camp, people are moved from the reception area and are able to use the permanent services of the camp, many of which are run by ACT Caritas, including schools, health clinics and nutrition centres, and services for improving economic wellbeing.

In 2014 some 420,000 people benefited from the programme.