Since 2003 upwards of 400,000 people have been slaughtered and mutilated, tens of thousands of women and girls raped, and 2.5 million displaced. Today 80 to 90% of Darfur’s villages lie in ashes (see US Department of State map).
Large areas of Darfur have been ravaged by a 20-year drought, leaving much of its once fertile landscape an arid wasteland. The drought is so pervasive, both UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the UNEP believe the Darfur conflict is primarily caused by it (see SciDev Net article).
Aid Still Required is focusing on two areas for Darfur:
- Broadening awareness about the conflict and inspiring activism, and
- Funding environmentally sustainable programs for Darfur’s restoration.
Raising Awareness
Aid Still Required Is bringing the Darfur issue to tens of millions of Americans through a series of public service announcements (PSAs), news articles, television spots and internet outreach. ASR’s PSA campaign includes NBA stars Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Tracy McGrady, Derek Fisher, Grant Hill, Baron Davis, Emeka Okafor, Matt Barnes, Andrew Bynum, Ira Newble, and Eric Snow. Additional outreach is being realized through print media (New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Christian Science Monitor, Conde Nast Portfolio, Sports Illustrated and a plethora of local newspapers), feature stories on ESPN, Fox Sports Net and other television outlets, and countless internet articles (MSNBC, SI.com, HoopsWorld), social site hits and blog entries.
Environment Restoration
Aid Still Required is funding a comprehensive program to restore the fundamentals of Darfur life:
The Water Project: The drought in Darfur has brought undue hardship to the region. In addition to its devastating impact on Darfur’s agriculture, millions of Darfurians either walk miles to fill water jugs or are subjected to drinking contaminated water, causing unparalleled levels of disease. The infants die at the rate of 80 per day. ASR’s Water Project is being established to provide clean, safe water throughout Darfur for drinking and farming.
The Reforestation Project: 80% of Darfurians depend upon agriculture for subsistence. Through the cultivation of indigenous trees, ASR’s Reforestation Project promotes water table replacement and renews arable land. Additionally, since much of the newly planted flora produces medicinal herbs and is cross-pollinated by honeybees, new family- and village-sized economies are created through the sale of these by-products.
The Solar Cooker Project: As a result of the drought, firewood has been largely depleted. The Solar Cooker Project provides a solution in two phases:
- Phase One - Today: When women and girls venture from the camps to collect firewood they are often raped. By providing solar cookers, trips outside the first camp evaluated have declined by 86%, avoiding countless attacks, (see Jewish World Watch Evaluation).
- Phase Two - Tomorrow: It will be years before the drought-affected areas of Darfur are replenished with trees. During the restitution phase it is imperative that existing and new flora not be consumed as firewood. ASR will provide refugees returning to their villages with permanent solar cookers and training to promote a sustainable alternative to cooking with wood.
