Sudan - Ambassador of Japan to Sudan Hideki Ito has visited IOM projects in Zam Zam displacement camp, North Darfur, which have been funded by the Government of Japan since 2014.

The projects focus on breaking the cycle of aid dependency of internally displaced people (IDPs) and on responding to the urgent humanitarian needs of the newly displaced.

Japanese funding has supported projects in the areas of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH); livelihoods, including vocational training; emergency health; emergency shelter; and provision of non-food relief items.

In an effort to build the resilience of female-headed households, IOM’s transitional and recovery projects have particularly targeted female-headed households and young people, who receive vocational training.

A Women’s Training Centre has been established that trains women in the production of sanitary pads. These are later sold in local markets, generating income.

Safe drinking water has also been a major focus and during his trip Ambassador Ito visited a hand pump which was reconstructed as a mini water yard by IOM in 2014. The mini water yard serves as a source of portable water for 2,500 IDPs living in the camp.

Ambassador Ito also met with beneficiaries of IOM’s ongoing vocational training programme at the El Fasher Technical School. At the facility IDPs are learning carpentry, mechanical engineering, food processing and other skills.

For further information, please contact IOM Sudan: Lorena Dos Santos, Tel: +249 1565 54 600/1/2 email: ldossantos@iom.int or Amani Osman, Tel: +249 92240 6686, Email: aosman2@iom.int