After, the humanitarian crisis of Sudan remains, with 25 million people fighting for sufficient food and more than 12 million. Almost all the inhabitants, or a relative or friend, have suffered terrible experiences. But horror is widespread throughout the world, and the response to a growing number of crisis is severely hindered by a lack of financing not registered since World War II. Worldwide, the UN has called for 45,000 million dollars (39,581 million euros) in order to cover the humanitarian needs of 185 million people in 2025, but so far has received only 5% of that amount.
In, this situation endangers the lives of people, due to the decrease in food supplies and the closure of health establishments. Maybe last week it was possible to feed the children thanks to an emergency dining room established to provide basic meals, but this week its doors are closed. Although the local clinic remains open (around), it has fewer medications to treat preventable but mortal diseases such as tuberculosis and diarrhea.
We must find ways to minimize this suffering and make financing go further. This means supporting the Sudanese to help themselves, and use donor money to boost private sector participation.
The joy of seeing a family horizon and the reference points of childhood is attenuated by the reality of empty shelves and the difficulty of starting over without tools or seeds or products
Precisely the business and civil society leaders asked for this at the meetings that I had with them in Sudan, when echoing my thoughts when war was unleashed in my country, about 15 years ago. At that time we didn’t want alms. Like the Sudanese – like all people – we wanted to preserve our ability to stay because it is the best preparation for “the day after.”
In Sudan, the military situation on the ground is unstable, although in many areas security has improved and the population is returning to their homes, overcrowded in small buses or carrying their belongings through hundreds of kilometers of destroyed land. In many cases, women lead the return to the home, having endured in Sudan, as in most conflicts, the. Often, without recognizing it, women have been the fundamental pillar that has kept families and households together in the midst of adversities.
In all cases, the return trip is both distressing and hopeful. “What has remained of my house and my farm? Have you looted my store? Will they have stolen my tools?” Many wonder. For some, the joy of seeing a family horizon and the reference points of childhood is attenuated by the reality of empty shelves and the difficulty of starting over without tools or products.
Enable the reintegration of farmers can be as simple as providing basic tools, seeds resistant to drought and effective solutions depending on costs, such as water pumps fed by solar energy, which can be used to exploit new lands and function even in places where the electricity supply has been interrupted.
It is vital that we support families and communities so that they can cope with current adversities, so that they are prepared to make the most of peace when they arrive when they arrive
In the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) we have tested this approach in the provinces of Kassala, Al-Gadarif and Río Nilo, where we have facilitated the increase in crop yield and the establishment of orchards in vacant lots. This helped feed families, increased food supply and promoted the local economy. The benefits were reinvested to expand production, which allowed us to continue supporting other communities.
Another approach is to maximize the impact of funds to achieve a greater result through private sector participation. I could check it during my stay in Afghanistan, where from the UNDP we use two million dollars (1.7 million euros) to grant loans to small businesses. Through these loans, farmers and entrepreneurs were able to expand their operations. The increase in benefits allowed them to return loans and reduced the need for external help.
In Sudan, we have just tested a similar system to grant loans worth five million dollars (4.3 million euros) to people who would not normally have access to financial services. As their businesses grow, so will the capacity of communities to buy food, medicines and other essential items.
These two approaches require a change of mentality so that sustainable development can accompany emergency aid.
We all expect a quick and lasting peace in Sudan, and the number of people returning to their homes is a sign of the population’s trust in their future as a country. However, although peace was declared today, there would still be a long way to go to repair the damage of war. It is vital that we support families and communities so that they can cope with current adversities, so that they are prepared to make the most of peace when they arrive.
