On Monday, Feb. 3, the EU and UNICEF began the implementation of two projects in the Darfur region of Sudan, aimed at improving health and access to education. The health project funds 28 midwifery trainers, 300 technical midwives, 120 nurses and 16 health specialists; the project for education will fund 2,000 teachers, 80 training teachers, and 450 school headmasters—all of which will expand access to education for more than 100,000 students, according to a press release. The projects cost a total of 3 million Euros, funded entirely by the EU.
A UNICEF representative in Sudan, Geer Cappelaere, said “UNICEF is very happy that the EU is deepening its engagement for the children of Darfur through this grant. Growing up healthy and educated is the right of every boy and girl in Darfur, and we will do our level best at UNICEF to ensure a great return on this critical investment in basic education and primary health care in Darfur.”
The ongoing conflict in Darfur has killed over 250,000 people since its beginning in 2003, and continuing violence displaced an estimated 400,000 in 2013 alone. The international community has tried to maintain the availability of education for students displaced by the violence, but these UNICEF programs demonstrate the need for continued action in the region as the conflict continues.
Creative Commons Love: European Commission on DG ECHO on Flickr.com
Written by Alex Leedom