An unimaginable situation

The humanitarian crisis in Darfur and eastern Chad is one of the largest in the world.
Since violence between the government and rebels in Darfur started in 2003 2.5 million people have fled their homes.
Many will have seen family killed, abducted or sexually assaulted and their villages burned. Ongoing violence continues to cause people to flee.

Dependent on humanitarian aid

Many survivors are now living in crowded camps, or on the edges of towns, in Darfur and neighbouring Chad. Some of the camps are the size of small cities.
People live in constant fear of further violence. Most arrive with nothing. More people arrive each day, in search of shelter, food, water and safety.
The conflict is also affecting those who remain in their villages. Around four million people, more than half the region’s population, are now dependant on humanitarian aid.

Increasing violence

Since the signing of the Darfur Peace Agreement in May 2006, security has deteriorated even further. This situation, and the increased targeting of humanitarian workers, is making it more and more difficult for aid agencies, like Oxfam, to reach the people who need help most.

Oxfam's response

We have been responding to the emergency since early 2004. Despite the increasing violence we are continuing to help more than half a million people in Darfur and Chad.
We are working with people living in camps and on the edges of towns.

We are:
■Providing clean water and sanitation facilities – drilling wells, setting up water tanks, digging latrines, and building washing facilities.
■Distributing essential items such as blankets, utensils, and clean clothes.
■Working to reduce people’s dependency on aid, through setting up training schemes and providing animals and farming tools.
■Training community volunteers to promote good health and hygiene.

In all our projects, we promote effective management of Darfur's increasingly scarce natural resources such as water and wood.