The situation in Omdurman, is going, as predicted by many organisations, from bad to worse. People in Sudan’s war zones are running out of reserves while the prices of what little food there is, are skyrocketing. There is little progress in peace negotiations and there is nothing left for most people but to “resign themselves to the situation and wait for death”, as Master Jirjis apped.
Omdurman has been the scene of heavy fighting earlier this year. The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) still controlled most of the city. The Sudanese army, which will keep fighting until “total victory”, managed to regain eastern Omdurman in mid-February, but the expected push through to other parts of the city failed to materialise.
The neighbourhoods around El Rayan school are in army hands, but the RSF are not far away. Residents there are also exposed to fighting, fortunately sporadically. The biggest danger is being hit by a stray rocket, but shooting also naturally terrifies everyone.
It also means that neighbourhoods occupied by the RSF continue to suffer extra. Salwa in Jabarona in south-western Omdurman has not been able to reach us since December and we fear the worst.
Master Jemeiz lives with his wife and two children in a neighbourhood in the west of the city, where the army is blocking any transport, to force the paramilitaries to leave. The residents have nowhere to go and depend on expensive, smuggled, food. Jemeiz was very happy with the extra amount one of the board members recently sent him.
‘Soup kitchens’
After learning that neighbourhoods 43 and 44, where most Elrayan School students live, were getting worse, the foundation took the liberty of sending €1,000 for food aid to the school. In this way, we were able to provide 50 families with a simple food package. As we knew that we would not be able to continue with this for months, we approached the Sudanese NGO Hadhreen in April with questions about the possibility of a -cheaper- soup kitchen. An added advantage is that this would also allow us to reach more people.
Hadhreen, meaning ‘We’re here’, is funded mainly by Sudanese doctors’ associations in England and America. They had already set up about 50 soup kitchens in Omdurman, Khartoum, and Khartoum North, and responded positively to our questions. We agreed to cooperate and start a pilot in the two poorest neighbourhoods near the school. The pilot went really well and now 300 families in neighbourhood 43 and as many in neighbourhood 44 enjoy a daily portion of cooked lentils or fava beans.
The food, which comes from the north, is smuggled into the neighbourhoods in large sacks by motorbike cart. Since many roads are barricaded, and also to avoid being noticed, this is often done in the evening or at night. Lentils and onions are cooked immediately, and beans are soaked for the next day.
Early in the morning, people bring their pots, pans, or buckets, which are then neatly lined up. If 300 have preceded you, you’re out of luck. Then you’ll have to try again the next day.
Elrayan teacher Elfadil, who lives nearby, is in charge of the logistics. He coordinates the six local volunteers preparing the food in the two kitchens and is the point of contact for the Hadhreen volunteers who supply them with food on a weekly basis. When the internet works, he apps his updates to us.
He told us that the people are very happy with the simple food. “You saved us,” many said. Among the tired faces, one mother’s smile caught his eye. “So, we are not completely forgotten,” she told him.
Small actions, fewer obstacles
Many countries have now pledged a fair amount of aid for Sudan. The problem is mainly how to reach the starving people. The paramilitaries raid the few food convoys that move, and the authorities (read: army leadership) allow aid only sporadically, as they fear it will mainly bring in weapons for the RSF militia. Another problem is that food gets into corrupt hands and is sold in the markets.
It seems that direct food aid on a small scale, such as through soup kitchens, is currently one of the best ways to help the starving population of the capital.
To continue these kitchens, we have launched a crowdfunding campaign, as you already know. (Direct deposits stating ‘food aid’ are also welcome!) Anyone who wants to set up a fundraising event to help us and wants more information can always reach us at onderwijsoostafrika@yahoo.com.
Thank you for your donations and moral support, also on behalf of the residents in Omdurman of neighbourhoods 43 and 44, and of the board of the Education East Africa Foundation (which as of this week consists of six instead of three members).