Sudan: Community kitchens bring vital food relief to thousands in North Darfur as humanitarian conditions worsen

Eight community kitchens are providing two hot meals per day for around 10,000 newly-displaced people in the Zamzam camp, south of Al-Fasher. The city has witnessed severe fighting over several months, disrupting the delivery of essential supplies and forcing tens of thousands of people from their homes.

“Some residents of the camp told us that they are struggling to eat even one meal a day, with nearly no protein, fruits or vegetables,” said Daniel O’Malley, the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) delegation in Sudan.  

“For many families, the community kitchens are the only way to put food on the table, but they will not be enough to avert a deepening humanitarian crisis.”

Community kitchens are an age-old Sudanese tradition where people come together to cook and share food. The project is being supported by the ICRC and the Sudanese Red Crescent Society (SRCS). 

“Now, I feel full – a feeling I have not had for the past seven days. It has been seven months since we had a decent meal here in Zamzam camp”, said Malak Abdalla Ali, a resident of the camp, who fled Al-Fasher as fighting grew closer to her home.

Zamzam camp, established in 2004, is sheltering nearly half a million people and is considered by local communities as the last safe haven in northern Darfur. Food shortages are expected to get worse as newly-displaced families continue to arrive, fleeing the fighting in Al-Fasher. Around one third of the camp’s water points are not functioning while medical supplies are running low.

“The situation in and around Al-Fasher remains desperate and the civilian population is caught between the fighting sides with little space to maneuver,” added O’Malley. “We urgently call on the parties to provide humanitarian space, as ensuring civilians receive humanitarian aid and services, is the responsibility of the parties to the conflict.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).