Children face starvation in Darfur now - urgent

Since our last report the situation in Darfur has continued to worsen.  Kids for Kids remains the only organisation specifically helping villagers.  Although large parts of the country are in dire need of humanitarian aid, armed conflict and the lack of infrastructure make it difficult for international organisations to reach the population in need.  (SOS Children's Villages Aug 2013).  Emergency aid for those in the camps is inadequate, but there is no help whatsoever for two thirds of the population in the villages of Darfur struggling to cope with the direct and indirect effects of years of violence, loss of even the most basic health care, and now, soaring inflation.    Many villagers have cut down their food to one, pitifully small, meal a day.    Families can no longer afford protein in any form.   This has dire consequences, especially for children.  

Last month the villagers were dealt another blow.  The Government oil subsidy has just been cut.  This will result in everything that is sent from outside Darfur, costing more to transport, leading to even higher prices for everything, including the most basic essentials.  In Nyala in South Darfur traders in the market ecently reported price rises of 500% (Sudan Tibune, 2013). 

The future for the invisible children of Darfur is bleak.  The UN warned of famine, and we see in the villages of Darfur the affects of hunger and shockingly inadequate diet.   For the past twelve years Kids for Kids has been providing a package of life changing projects, simple grassroots initiatives, such as a microfinance scheme based on the loan of 6 goats to a family, which pass on 6 after 2 years.   Even this Goat Loan on its own transforms lives, but linked to our
provision of handpumps, donkeys, ploughs, blankets, mosquito nets and much more, and the training of village midwives, paravets and first aid workers, our projects are lifting people out of abject poverty and transforming whole
communities. 

Kids for Kids has shown that our simple help can change lives.  Only last week, a lady called Khajida told our Programme Manager that when she passed on six healthy kids to another family in 2007, she was left with a flock
of 20 goats.  The income that these generated for her enabled her not only to improve the basic conditions of their
lives, but to pay for the schooling of all of her children.  Two have now completed their schooling.  When you think that only 5% of children complete their schooling, you can see how important the goat loan was to her family.

In 2013 Kids for Kids has seen a reduction in the number of donations received  due to world economics yet more people need our help.  Our goats are transforming lives, not only do they give immediate nutrition from their milk but they help families build a viable future too.  The price of one goat now costs £60 ($95).  Never before has our help been so vital.  Thank you for supporting this project - your kindness has made a difference but please tell people what you know about Darfur and encourage them to help too.  Children need our help and people are desparate.