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PrintFlooding in Darfur
A woman surveys the remains of her collapsed home. Photo: Oxfam
In late September 2008, Kalma Camp - one of the largest camps in Darfur - was hit by some of the worst flooding in years. In a single day, families were made homeless, as their basic shelters were destroyed. In one part of the camp, 80 per cent of latrines collapsed. Food rations for the whole month were ruined.
At least 80,000 people live in Kalma, where they have sought shelter after fleeing attacks on their villages. Many of them arrived in the camp with nothing, but have tried to build homes and a better life.
“Overnight, much of this hard work was destroyed,” says Karen Smith, Oxfam’s Programme Manager in Kalma. “In some parts of the camp the water was waist high. People lost nearly everything they had.”
The floods not only destroyed property, but also brought serious health
concerns. "When the latrines collapsed, thousands of people had no alternative
but to defecate in the open," says Nafisa, a mother-of-three living
in the camp. In the uncovered latrine pits, stagnant flood water became ripe
breeding ground for diseases such as malaria, diarrhea, ringworm and cholera.
2,344 latrines were destroyed by the floods. Some need repairing, while others need rebuilding completely. Oxfam's engineers in Kalma are now piloting a new, stronger latrine design better able to withstand floods. Photo: Oxfam
In an effort to stem the potential spread of disease, Oxfam's public health team delivered cartons of soap to 18,500 families. Staff and volunteers used donkey carts to travel across the camp and provide hygiene advice.
People lost many of their most essential possessions.
Oxfam provided 7,000 families with blankets, women's clothing, plastic sheeting and jerry cans for carrying water.
Working with other aid agencies, over 1,000 emergency 'shelter kits' were also given out. Each kit contains 12 grass mats, 15 bamboo poles and plastic bed mats, with which families can erect temporary homes.
Throughout Darfur, vital humanitarian work has been obstructed by the ongoing violence. This violence has permeated the camps and they too have been dangerous to humanitarian agencies such as Oxfam. In Kalma, Oxfam was working closely with committees made up of members of the local communities to ensure aid could still be provided even when it was too dangerous for Oxfam staff to come to the camp. Committee members were trained to operate and maintain the Oxfam water pumps, which currently provide the only source of clean water for the camp.