Oxfam's work in Sudan in depth

In Sudan, Oxfam's focus is on water and sanitation, livelihoods support and humanitarian aid.

The context

Southern Sudan is emerging from decades of brutal war, in which an estimated 2 million people died of conflict and disease, and 4 million people lost their homes. A peace agreement was signed between the North and South in 2005 – but the deal is increasingly fragile and southern Sudan remains one of the poorest and least developed regions in the world. 2009 saw a serious upsurge in violence, with around 2,500 people killed and 350,000 made homeless by new fighting and attacks.

The next 12 months will be crucial for the future of Africa’s largest country. Key events are set to take place – such as the first multi-party elections in 24 years, and a referendum where southerners will vote whether to remain part of a united Sudan or secede and become the world’s newest country. Events such as these could pave the way for a peaceful future for Sudan, but could also lead to more violence and suffering. Oxfam has called on the international community to urgently increase its engagement on Sudan or risk a return to major war.

Report: Rescuing the Peace in Southern Sudan

How is Oxfam helping?

Oxfam has been working in the south for 27 years. When war erupted in 1983, we began by providing emergency water to people who fled the violence. Over the following two decades, we helped some of the most marginalised and devastated communities by providing vital water, healthcare and basic shelter, and responding to disasters such as famines and floods.

Interactive timeline: History of Oxfam in Sudan

After the peace agreement was signed, many of the millions of people who were forced to flee during the war have begun to return home. But they and the communities who remained need to be able to rebuild their lives. They need access to basic services such as water and sanitation, and opportunities to earn an income. There are few hospitals, schools or paved roads. The lives of generations have been shattered by decades of war.

Oxfam works in three southern Sudanese states – Upper Nile, Lakes, and Western Equatoria.

Upper Nile

In Upper Nile, one of the most remote and inaccessible states in southern Sudan, some communities are cut off for months at a time during the heavy rains.

Blog: Admin costs ife or death in southern Sudan

We are drilling boreholes to provide villagers with steady supplies of clean water; constructing new latrines for schoolchildren; and helping to improve the health of local people by preventing the spread of diseases such as malaria.

Lakes State

In Lakes State, we are supporting villages to start small-scale farms and grow food, by distributing farming equipment and access to markets. We have provided cash grants to local entrepreneurs to set up small businesses such as shops and restaurants, to help support their families. And we help herders care for their livestock by supporting local veterinary clinics and animal health projects, which lack basic medicines and trained personnel.

In pictures: Livelihoods in Lakes State

Western Equatoria

Western Equatoria has been badly affected over the past year by violent attacks by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), a rebel group with origins in northern Uganda.

Blog: Violence soars in Southern Sudan

We have helped to provide clean water and emergency aid to people made homeless by such attacks. We also work with local communities to provide development services such as sanitation and education.

Providing clean water can have a dramatic impact on people’s lives. A quarter of southern villages still rely on river water as their main source, which can make them particularly vulnerable to water-borne diseases such as diarrhoea and cholera. Lack of water sources can also affect school attendance, with children taken out of the school in the dry season to collect water for their families. Oxfam’s programmes are aimed not only at providing urgent humanitarian aid, but working with communities to build a better long-term future for Sudan.

 

Last updated: January 2010