MADRE Programs in Sudan

Since 2004, MADRE and Zenab for Women in Development, a community-based women's organization in Sudan, have worked together to provide emergency aid to displaced women and families in Darfur, where hundreds of thousands of people have been killed by government-allied janjaweed militias. Despite the withdrawal of several international aid agencies, Zenab has continued working in El Sieref and other refugee camps, where women are routinely raped, children fear for their lives, and traumatized families lack food, water, and basic healthcare.

MADRE's partnership with Zenab has made it possible for women and their families in refugee camps to receive emergency aid directly. For example, MADRE delivered an emergency humanitarian aid shipment of clothing and bedding worth $500,000, which helped refugee families confront harsh weather and widespread illnesses, such as meningitis and malaria. Zenab was able to distribute the materials to those most in need, including families in smaller refugee camps who do not have any access to humanitarian assistance from international aid agencies.

MADRE has enabled Zenab to provide programs to prevent gender-based sexual violence. In response to the high occurrence of rape within refugee camps, Zenab is building restrooms to allow women a measure of privacy and hiring security to protect women when they collect firewood. MADRE support helps to provide trained social workers to offer counseling and play therapy to traumatized children—many of whom lack adult family members—and food for women and their families.

Zenab regularly informs MADRE about the situation on the ground in Darfur, which has allowed us to promote awareness of the crisis in the US.