Canadian Red Cross

Published purpose

March 2011 - Sudan continues to face many grave humanitarian challenges. In the north, the conflict in Darfur continues, with the levels of violence and insecurity, once again, increasing. This has lead to the new or continued displacement of nearly two million people, leaving them reliant on outside assistance for food and other basic, life-saving services. In the south, the recent referendum decision to secede from the north (January 2011) has brought new challenges to a region already devastated by decades of civil war and beset by inter-tribal violence and chronic natural disasters (drought, flooding). Hundreds of thousands of southerners have now decided to return to a homeland that lacks even the most basic infrastructure in many areas, overwhelming local capacity to feed, shelter, and provide basic services to the population. CIDA's support of this Canadian Red Cross Society project in Warrap State, South Sudan is helping to meet the needs of conflict-displaced populations and new returnees to the south through improved access to basic health care, safe water, and adequate sanitation. The Canadian Red Cross works closely with the Sudanese Red Crescent Society which helps not only to meet immediate needs but also to ensure longer-term resilience in face of future crises.