[ad_1]
A Concern team spent Christmas Day preparing to distribute a major aid delivery to refugees along the Sudan-Ethiopia border.
The shipment landed in the Sudanese capital Khartoum on Friday and will be transported in the coming days to some of the 52,000 refugees who are in dire need. The delivery, which includes essential items such as tarp, mosquito nets, soap, towels and solar lights, is funded by Irish Aid.
Many of the first refugees who arrived in Sudan from Ethiopia last month are in urgent need of support, according to Mark Harper of Concern, who was part of the emergency team sent to the region. “A lot of people fled across the border with just the clothes they were wearing,” he said. “There were people selling their phones to buy clothes and other essentials.”
Most reached the border town of Hamdayet, whose population increased from 6,000 to 25,000 in a few days. Refugees flee the conflict in northern Ethiopia. “The scenes were chaotic, with people camping in the small town square or staying in nearby towns,” he said. “Our focus has been to protect the health of newcomers from the spread of diarrhea, COVID and malaria. “This included managing waste disposal and promoting hygienic practices.
Tent assembly
In recent weeks, the Sudanese authorities have been encouraging refugees to move 150 kilometers away to a refugee camp in Um Rakuba, which currently houses 19,000 people. Concern staff have pitched 500 tents in the camp and are also distributing essential items such as blankets, cooking pots, sleeping mats, mosquito nets and soap.
“The temperatures are in the 30s, there are not enough toilets or water,” said Mark.
In addition to the confusion of being displaced from their homes and with the telephone network in the region disrupted for more than a month, many of the refugees who have been separated from their families are still trying to establish whether they are safe, Mark added.
For media inquiries, please contact Eamon Timmins, Media Relations Manager, Concern Worldwide at [email protected] or 087 9880524
