A delegation of Unicef inandnbsp;Sudan has visited Kalma camp for the displaced in Nyala locality, South Darfur, and pledged increased support in various fields.
Salehandnbsp;Eisa, secretary general ofandnbsp;Kalma camp told Radioandnbsp;Dabanga thatandnbsp;a representative ofandnbsp;the UN Children’s Fund (Unicef) in Sudan paid a visit to the campandnbsp;on Monday. He was accompanied byandnbsp;a Unicef operations officerandnbsp;and anandnbsp;official of the Emergency Office in Sudan.
“Theyandnbsp;met with the staff of Kalma camp’s Youthandnbsp;Organisation, who are working inandnbsp;the field of childandnbsp;protection andandnbsp;support of the newly displaced, as well as with personnel of the organisations providing nutrition and water in the camp. The Unicef delegation also held a meeting with the managers of the camp, including sheikhs,andnbsp;omdas, youth andandnbsp;women leaders.”
Eisaandnbsp;explained thatandnbsp;the meetingandnbsp;discussedandnbsp;theandnbsp;needs ofandnbsp;the camp population. The displacedandnbsp;praised Unicef’s support to the displaced, especially in the fieldandnbsp;ofandnbsp;water, and the establishment ofandnbsp;new schools.andnbsp;They requested Unicef toandnbsp;support theandnbsp;adult education programme at the camp by addingandnbsp;aandnbsp;compensatory curriculum forandnbsp;young men and womenandnbsp;aged betweenandnbsp;16 and 35, so as toandnbsp;enable them to completeandnbsp;the basicandnbsp;and secondary stages within sevenandnbsp;years.andnbsp;
They also asked about the possibility to obtain scholarships for university studentsandnbsp;to studyandnbsp;abroad, “because most Darfuri students do not have the opportunity to study at Sudanese universities”.
Apart from educational issues, the camp representatives said that the camp population is in need of more water pumps. They also proposed the replacement of old water engines with thermal generators.andnbsp;
Though the Darfur Regional Authority agreed with the federal Ministry of Higher Education on the exemption of Darfur students to pay tuition and examination fees, several Sudanese universities insist on the payment of the fees, and have dismissed Darfuri students for this reason.
File photo: Tented school run by Unicef in South Sudan (Unicef)