Area: 125,000 sq. km
Population: Over 7,000,000
Plan’s operations: North Darfur State (Abushouk, Alsalam and Zamzam internally displaced persons camps, Alfasher town)

Darfur lies in the west of Sudan, bordering Chad. The region is a harsh desert area characterised by economic and political marginalisation and underdevelopment.

The main ethnic groups are the native Africans who are primarily farmers and the tribes of Arab descent who are nomadic herdsmen. Competition over the use of scarce productive land and water resources has been the cause of rivalry, ultimately resulting in armed conflicts since 2003.

Since then over 3,000,000 people have been affected by the conflict with an estimated 1,500,000 having fled their homes and living in over 150 internally displaced people (IDP) camps in the 3 states that constitute Greater Darfur.  

Plan’s special operation

Plan has been operating in North Darfur since 2005 covering over 200,000 people from Abushouk, Alsalam, Zamzam  IDP camps and Alfasher town. Plan’s programmes focus on quality learning, girls’ education, health and hygiene promotion, anti malaria and environmental sanitation, as well as children’s and women’s protection. 

Plan works through partnerships and networks with local government, UN and international agencies and other institutions.

Programme highlights

Child-friendly learning environment

Plan implements a wide range of activities including constructing and rehabilitating classrooms and teachers offices; providing textbooks and teaching aids; building skills of teachers and providing water and sanitation facilities within schools.

We also encourage parents and children to participate in school affairs by training Parent Teacher Associations, supporting school-based recreational events and forming children’s clubs to ensure a safe and quality learning environment.

Children’s and women’s protection

Plan is constantly empowering children, youth, women, parents and teachers on child rights and protection issues.

Children’s and women’s groups have been established and various capacity building initiatives have been taken to involve them in decision making processes inside the camps. This will help them manage their lives now and in future.

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