Sudan: Community kitchens bring vital food relief to thousands in North Darfur as humanitarian conditions worsen
Eight community kitchens in the Zamzam refugee camp south of El Fasher provide approximately 10,000 newly displaced people with two hot meals a day. The city has experienced intense fighting for months, disrupting the delivery of essential supplies and forcing tens of thousands of people from their homes.
“Some residents in the camps told us that they struggle to eat even one meal a day, with little protein, fruit or vegetables,” said Daniel O’Malley, head of the ICRC delegation in Sudan.
“For many families, community kitchens are the only way to put food on the table, but they are not enough to avert a deepening humanitarian crisis.”
Community kitchens are an ancient tradition in Sudan where people come together to cook and share food. The project is supported by the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Sudanese Red Crescent Society (SRCS).
“Right now, I feel full – something I haven’t felt in the past seven days. We haven’t had a decent meal in Zamzam camp for seven months,” camp resident Malak Malak Abdalla Ali said she fled Fasher as the fighting came closer to her home.
Zamzam camp was established in 2004 and houses nearly 500,000 people. It is regarded by local communities as the last safe haven in North Darfur. Food shortages are expected to become more severe as new displaced families flee the fighting in El Fasher. About a third of the water points in the camp are not operational, and medical supplies are in short supply.
O’Malley added: “The situation in El Fasher and its surrounding areas remains desperate, with civilians caught between the warring sides with little room for maneuver.” “We urgently appeal to all parties to provide humanitarian space as we ensure civilians have access to Humanitarian assistance and services are the responsibility of all parties to the conflict.”
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
