Sudan

Sudan remains one of the most troubled places on earth. In the western Sudanese region of Darfur, civil conflict continues with armed bandits and insecurity affecting people throughout Darfur. Since February 2003, 2.5 million Sudanese have been displaced from their homes and 200,000 people have died. Seeking relief in neighboring camps, the 200,000 refugees in Chad lack adequate food, sanitation and health care.

AmeriCares has supported relief efforts in Sudan since 1987 and continues to respond to the ongoing humanitarian crises in Darfur and Southern Sudan. Since the "AmeriCares Fund for Sudan" was started in 2004, donors have financed ten airlifts, delivering urgently needed medicines and equipment to victims of the crisis in Darfur. The supplies aim to support the population of displaced people and combat outbreaks of meningitis, cholera, respiratory infections and diarrhea. Health facilities and clinics throughout the Darfur region continue to receive these medicines distributed through our partners the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and Save the Children.

In February and March, 2006 AmeriCares successfully delivered two airlifts of medicine to partners working in West, North and South Darfur. In April 2006, AmeriCares delivered another shipment to our partner to restock a network of clinics in this same region. In February 2008, AmeriCares is preparing its tenth airlifrt to the same parts of Darfur. These relief flights carry hundreds of thousands of life-saving medical treatments to combat respiratory and intestinal infections, malaria and other threatening illnesses. These treatments, including antibiotics, malaria rapid-test kits and vitamins, will support health facilities and clinics throughout the region serving more than 400,000 internally displaced Sudanese living in relief camps or nearby villages.