Improving children's health in villages in Darfur

During the past year KIDS FOR KIDS has expanded its activities to a further 3 villages bringing the total number of villages assisted to 54. In the 3 new villages almost 1,000 households representing over 5,600 people are benefiting from KIDS FOR KIDS’ project initiatives such as the availability of two trained village midwives and two first aid workers and the restoration of basic veterinary care facilities for all animals in the village through the training of 2 paravets in each village and the establishment of a revolving veterinary drugs fund which is available to all livestock owners in the village to help them to maintain the health and productivity of their livestock.

In order to improve children’s health KIDS FOR KIDS has introduced a very important programme to provide blankets and mosquito nets to the poorest 10% of households in the villages – these are the families who have been the recipients of the goat and donkey loans. The blankets and mosquito nets are provided once the families have repaid their goat loans through passing on six of the offspring of their goats to another poor family in the village at the end of 2 years in recognition of their wholehearted commitment to the cardinal principles of KIDS FOR KIDS of self-reliance, sustainability and self-help within the community. During the past year, some 1,800 blankets and 1,270 mosquito nets were distributed to 1,319 families in 31 of the villages.

The blankets have had a significant impact on the health of children through reducing the incidence of respiratory illness as the blankets provide them with warmth at night and it is no longer necessary to keep the fire alight at night as had previously been common practice which meant that the children were sleeping in a smoky atmosphere which contributed markedly to respiratory infections. The marked reduction in sickness amongst the children has in turn resulted in vastly increased school attendance. Malaria is a major cause of infant and child mortality and the provision of mosquito nets is expected to make a significant reduction in illness and death from malaria.

During the coming year KIDS FOR KIDS will be looking to continue this programme and to provide blankets and mosquito nets to the poorest households in the villages which will qualify for the scheme in 2010/11.