UNICEF and CTC Group Deliver Measurable Solutions to Local Communities in Sudan

Shariah and Khazan Villages are deeply isolated farming communities in Shariah Locality about 186 kilometers away from El-Da’ein, the capital of East Darfur State. It is home to 2,000 households (10,000 people) that recently started to return after more than five years of displacement in Squalid Camps in the neighboring State of South Darfur.

The protracted water crisis in Shariah is an ongoing challenge to community members and their livestock. Many continue to rely on ground water accessed through boreholes and open sources. Water scarcity in these communities threatens the health and safety of children and their families and contributes to increased transmission of water borne diseases, migration, violence, and displacement.

To address these challenges, CTC Group partnered with UNICEF as part of their corporate social responsibility programme to work on prioritizing water stewardship and advocate for strong local water governance in the communities where the company operates, emphasizing on the most vulnerable households with “high risk of thirst”. Without access to adequate and safe water, residents of Shariah are forced to travel long distances in search of water, and often use untreated water sources that cause dysentery and diarrhea as common health issues amongst children and families in the community.

CTC Group and UNICEF’s value shared partnership installed water tanks and generators to strengthen safe water supply at the main Health Center in Shariah and Khazan, serving 10,000 community members. Before this, health workers operated in difficult conditions without access to clean water. The installation of water infrastructure at the center is supporting health providers to deliver medical treatment to more patients, promptly and safely.

To ensure proper long-term upkeep and sustainability of water infrastructures, trained local committees were established to regularly monitor and evaluate units. Preventative health behavior change messages on handwashing, environmental sanitation, and proper water treatment were also disseminated amongst volunteer hygiene educators, health care workers and mother-to-mother support groups

Community members also received WASH lifesaving kits that included soaps, jerrycans, and plastic slaps for portable toilet to help improve hygiene and sanitation at household level. Community trainings were also held to educate on best hygiene practices at home.

“Everyday life was very difficult in Shariah Locality. Community members never imagined having access to safe water just a few meters from their homes” says Amna Ali, a mother of four children. “It was like a dream to us, until we saw the construction of water systems.”