A glimpse of Foreign Aid Organizations in Gedaref

Abdul-Aziz Ali Omer
In Gedaref State, in the recent years, the work of humanitarians propelled in to the field has notably diminished and state authorities have been perceived as an impediment to them. In an interview with the Humanitarian Aid Commissioner, Mr Adil Atiya argued that they weren’t against Foreign Aid Organizations. He went on to emphasize that they just intervene when an NGO incurred admistrative expenses exceed the ear-marked budget. Concerning the mission of his office, he said “It facilitates the work of International and Indigenous voluntary agencies in their respective areas. Besides that, it uses its best effort to re-register Humanitarian Organizations to ensure that their activities are consistent with the country objectives and adhering to the determinants of their work in accordance with the mutually signed agreement with the Government of Gedaref State. The Humanitarian Aid Commission is also co-operating with bodies concerned with disaster management. The Central emergencies Committee didn’t respond to the aftermath of floods in Gedaref inspite of the media appeals to help those affected. He said in a reproachful tone and then he added something to demonstrate the seriousness of ignored crisis:” Some of areas in the locality of Mafaza had seen an entire evacuation in the wake of devastating rains.
A fter a cup of tea, the Humanitarian Aid Commissioner, Mr Adil Atiya shed light on the few remaining Foreign Aid Organizations in Gedaref. In the first place, he cited the Switzerland mission of M.S.F and summed up it’s obvious contribution in the curative treatment of Kalazar, reproductive health, bolstering the efforts of contingencies a long with other special tasks including easing infant delivery operation, reduction of mothers death-rates. He also said that M.S.F has a financial stake in the success of anti-scabies campaign covering Eastern Galabat locality costing as he claimed $20,000 and 40,000 Sudanese pounds respectively. Last October, M.S.F inaugurated a complex of obstetricians and gynecologists within Tabarak Allah Hospital.
Second, he mentioned ZOA, a Dutch NGO serving in Galla Nahal locality executing food security programme in a full co-ordination with the State Ministry of Health through a technical agreement that aims to provide production inputs i.e. seeds, fertilizers and other agricultural facilities to 12 villages. He adds that ZOA has contributed an alleged $227,000 to implement Dehaima village water project. In the meantime, also in collaboration with “maan” another NGO initiated a micro-finance programme funded by European Union in the space of two million Euros to build bore-holes and dams in what is known as water harvest.
Third, he pointed to other small indigenous agencies that work in a partnership with various ministries such as Zeinab for women development, friends of peace and development, Green peace and Masar. Masar NGO promotes nomads education programme and in this respect built classrooms and trained designated teachers for this purpose with funds “$166,000” from UNICEF and Sudan Plan.
He admitted that the challenge that faces indigenous bodies is how to use effectively external funds to enhance the capacities of their personnel to improve their performance .During the interview, a reference was made to the consultation between the Humanitarian Aid Commissioner and the Qatari director of Gasmar NGO operating in health field to get into Gedaref to increase the general competence of local NGO staff.
He expressed his hope that the directive of freezing “Transitional Solution Initiative” would be re-examined He explained Transitional Solution Initiative as a project concerned with rehabilitating the areas that suffer from the constant trickle of refugees either in camps or those villages which host them. He ended the interview by stating that the Humanitarian Aid Commission incorporated “ El-ehssan and “ Haia El-islamiya El-khairiya” both of them are Islamic charitable organizations looking after 500 and 1000 orphans respectively . Presently, they are constructing with a total amount of “twenty million Dollars “ a complex that consist of secondary schools for both genders , Health Center and Vocational Training Workshops.