100 days of conflict in Sudan: An update on what is happening and how you can help

What is the current situation in Sudan?

Sudan has long been a host for refugees from neighbouring countries and the local aid workers you support have been giving practical help in refugee camps for many years, but now resources will become even more stretched as these communities welcome families who are fleeing conflict in Khartoum and northern Darfur.

Church leaders have also expressed concerns at the huge numbers of people caught up at Sudan’s international borders. Tens of thousands of people are expected to cross over into South Sudan in the coming months, creating huge bottlenecks.

With the rainy season approaching, and with many people without shelter and having run out of cash - people are struggling to access the money they’ve saved in the bank because the central banks have been shut by the violence in Khartoum - and the basic supplies they fled their homes with, the immediate needs are growing fast.

Thankfully, with support from people like you, local aid experts are already operational and responding to the situation in Upper Nile and Warrap – two of the five states in South Sudan which border Sudan – with clean water, sanitation, food and shelter.

How has CAFOD been responding?

CAFOD released £100,000 at the start of the conflict to help our local teams and partners in South Sudan who are responding to the crisis, supporting thousands of refugees crossing the border in search of safety. Our partners are working to distribute food, water, hygiene kits, providing shelter, building latrines, showers and handwashing facilities in refugee camps.

Interview with CAFOD's Head of Africa

Kayode Akintola, CAFOD's Head of Africa, explains more about the current situation and what you can do to help.

Have you visited Sudan recently?

I visited in February, and I can tell you, during my visit, I saw a very amazing set of people, people who just want a good life, people who just want a better society in which to live.

It's very shocking. Some of the places that I have driven through or visited recently have seen destruction and people not being able to go about their normal life.

More recently, the UN has set up a hub in Port Sudan from where it is coordinating its humanitarian activities. As part of this, CAFOD is liaising with other agencies from the Caritas Internationalis network to support those most affected by the conflict.

What work do CAFOD supporters help to fund in Sudan?

CAFOD has been working in Sudan since the 1970s, and we support agriculture production, but also livelihood opportunities, particularly for smallholder farmers and women.

Sudan is also host to people who are looking for safety and has got at least 20 refugee camps. We deliver clean water and sanitation in those camps. Some of these refugees have fled from neighbouring countries because of the effects of climate change, and many are fleeing fighting.

Now, sadly, Sudan is itself in deep conflict as well. We have an office in Khartoum, and I am grateful to God that our staff and partners are safe at the moment.

What can we do to help with the Sudan conflict here in the UK?

Two things for now, are very immediate. Please pray for Sudan. Please pray for the people of Sudan, pray for the peace of Sudan. That would be my very first, my very first appeal.

The second one is please speak to your MPs. Ask the government to act now.

This is the time to actually make every effort to save every life because every life counts.

What is next for your work in Sudan?

At the moment, it's about looking for safety for everyone, but if humanitarian passage is negotiated, we definitely will be looking at how we respond to the ongoing crisis that will be the result of this conflict.

Thankfully, £100,000 of previous donations has already been sent to our teams in South Sudan so that refugee families can be helped quickly, but the numbers of people crossing the borders is likely to continue.

Sudan is really facing severe economic, security and humanitarian challenges. And I think this current conflict can only make matters worse.

Before this fighting, there were problems with inflation, but people were really looking forward to democratic government as a hope to begin to transition to a more prosperous and viable nation. That agenda has been set back again.

What gives you hope?

Even in the midst of all these killings, there have been efforts by people within communities to try to reach out to one another. People are sharing food supplies. People are wanting to share what they have, and that is the reality of how people in Sudan want to live.

People are looking forward to having a democratic government, so communities can really thrive. And people can really go about their life, without fear and in an atmosphere of peace, without conflict.

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