General Report

Hope Relief and Rehabilitation for Disability Support (HRRDS), in partnership with Cohere and Reframe Network, launched a fundraising campaign to address the urgent humanitarian crisis in Sudan's Nuba Mountains. Through this effort, HRRDS successfully raised $13,600 in the first campaign phase to supply essential food and non-food items to internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the region. Long impacted by conflict and instability, the Nuba Mountains face widespread displacement and critical shortages of food, shelter, and hygiene supplies. Impacted by the current declared famine, this support was critical towards providing much-needed essentials, including plastic sheets, blankets, mosquito nets, laundry soap, sanitary pads, and food, to meet some of these urgent needs.

Our primary goal was to ease the hardships faced by displaced communities by providing essential items. To accomplish this, HRRDS conducted a comprehensive needs assessment to identify priority areas, including protection and health-related needs. We collaborated with relevant government and non-government stakeholders, holding regular consultations with IDP leaders to ensure coordinated and effective interventions. The items were then distributed across IDP camps, with ongoing follow-ups to monitor impact and additional support.

Project Highlights and Achievements

1. Immediate Food Relief for IDPs: Distributed 2.25 tons of sorghum and maize, sustaining the Kayin and Lumbiri Camps for several weeks. Beneficiaries reported a significant reduction in hunger and expressed appreciation for HRRDS’s support.
2. Improved Living Conditions through Essential Non-Food Items: Delivered plastic sheets, blankets, mosquito nets, laundry soap, and sanitary pads, greatly enhancing the living conditions for selected beneficiaries.

Impact Achieved:

We have achieved the following critical impacts

1. Nutritional Benefits: The food distribution led to better health and reduced malnutrition among IDPs.
2. Health Improvements: Provision of sanitary pads, soap, and mosquito nets contributed to improved hygiene and reduced health issues.
3. Psychosocial Support: Blankets and secure plastic shelters provided a sense of safety and comfort, particularly for women and children.
4. Community Cohesion: The distribution process fostered communal engagement, strengthening ties among IDPs, the host community, and partner organizations.
5. Health and Hygiene Standards Enhanced: Distributed 100 mosquito nets, 250 bars of soap, and 100 blankets, reducing disease incidence among women, children, and the elderly.
6. Enhanced Shelter and Protection for IDPs: Provided 100 plastic sheets and 100 blankets to improve shelters, offering protection from harsh weather. Over 200 households received these items, resulting in a heightened sense of security and protection.

Key lessons learned from this intervention include:

1. Involving the community before, during, and after distributions promoted active participation and helped manage often high expectations.
2. Conducting regular assessments has been beneficial in adapting our support to meet changing needs.
3. Collaborating with local leaders at all levels has streamlined distributions and ensured that community needs were prioritized.
4. An effective strategy during the campaign and fundraising initiative was HRRDS's focus on building trust both online and offline. We collaborated with a wide range of influencers across various levels, utilizing their unique community connections to amplify our campaign, which proved highly valuable.