Welcome to Kids for Kids The charity that helps children in Darfur, Sudan.

Even in the regional capital of North Darfur, in El Fasher itself, water is collected from the 'lake' (which dries up in the summer), or from hand dug wells, from which animals also drink. It is delivered in horse or donkey carts and is contaminated.

Children are often the ones

to collect the water.

Hand dug wells can be seen in many areas of Darfur, but these are shallow and in years of drought dry up entirely. In 2001 all surface water in North Darfur had dried, even in the dam at Mallit - the first time since it was built many years ago. HANDPUMPS are often the only way the aquafer under Darfur can be reached, but this has to be sourced through a geophysical electro magnetic survey and then drilled. When we were first in Darfur there was only one drilling rig which was often hundreds of miles away.There are now several more but, tragically, virtually the only hand pumps that have been installed since the violence started in 2002 have been for the vast IDP camps. People are still walking miles for water, and now they risk attack.

Clean water is maintained by creating an hedge around the handpump. A narrow concrete channel is then built beyond the pump to a trough for the goats and donkeys. And, if there is sufficient water, run off is often used to plant tomatoes, okra, watermelons and other vegetables, often for the first time. And butterflies too enjoy the water as Patricia’s photographs show!

It is important to remember however, that not all water accessed through drilling is fit for human consumption. Sometimes the source can be saline or too high in chemicals. This is a frustration and desperately disappointing when hopes are high, but it cannot be prevented or predicted. Luckily to date, this has only happened in two village areas, and alternate sites have been found, with clean potable water.

NEW PUMPS PLEASE!

In her spring visit in 2006 Patricia Parker visited the UNICEF headquarters in Khartoum and agreed that KIDS FOR KIDS would fund 30 new handpumps. UNICEF had at last been able to draw up a proposal for 100 for villages - but, despite being an UN agency did not have the funds for any of them.

We already have funding for 24 so are seeking 6 more immediately, and, if these are successful, we are hoping to be able to install others as they are donated.

KIDS FOR KIDS handpumps are named after their donors. The first, the KIDS FOR KIDS CROSFIELD PUMP was installed in Um Ga’al in September 2001. Others have been donated to celebrate a christening, a marriage, by large companies, and to commemorate a young man who had died in Africa. Two sisters donated a handpump from money they had inherited, to celebrate a retirement, a birth, to mark a marriage…The reasons for donating a handpump are touching - and all are from people’s inate empathy with families and their urgent need for water.

Why can the international community not respond in this way?

Tree Nurseries
Whatever we do we must try to protect the future. Winds stream across the desert sands and the best way to withstand this relentless desertification is to reestablish trees in Darfur. Wherever things grow, the air is refreshed. "On my first visit in March 2001 I was shown a field where onions were growing, watered by an artesian well - something I had only seen in history books of Egypt up until then. The air by the onions was noticeably fresher and cooler," said Patricia.

KIDS FOR KIDS has a big programme for planting trees - shade trees, cash crop trees, fruit trees and even the replanting of the Baobab. The latter has died out in North Darfur as the elephants moved south. Seeds were processed by the elephants. Now the seeds have to be soaked in acid - and already we have sent seedlings to Kordofan as well as planting them in Darfur. Despite the backbreaking and endlessly time consuming task of collecting water, communities are keen to care for our little tree seedlings.

KIDS FOR KIDS has already funded two Tree Nurseries and we are planning to create two more in 2007 if funds allow. Each Nursery could provide 300,000 tree seedlings

TREES WE ARE PLANTING include:

BAOBAB (Adansonia digitata) known as the Tabaldi tree in Sudan. It is used for food, emergency water, its bark is used for clothing and rope and cut into tile shape for roofs, the fruit makes a refreshing cold drink, or a porridge - the leaves can become a sauce and it has many medical uses from dysentery to stomach pains and diarrohea.

ACACIA (Acacia Mellifera) known as Mimoscreae - a shrub which is used for animal fodder. The branches and twigs are good for firewood and charcoal and it protects the soil from wind and water erosion. The roots and bark can be used for crafts. It grows quickly and well.

ACACIA (Acacia Senegal) or Hashabis also a shrub which is used for Gum Arabic whilst its bark and roots are used for clothes and hand crafts. It is useful for fencing and the fruit is good for animals.

NEEM Tree (Azadirachta indica) is a popular tree for shade (much needed in the villages). The fruit is good for humans, birds and animals. It is used as a medicine for dysentery, stomach pain and diarrohea. The seeds contain chemical substances used for insecticide. Good for firewood and charcoal.

GUDEIM (Grewia tenax) valuable cash crop for villagers growing to maturity within 18 months. The fruit is popular and the leaves are used for fodder. The flowers attractive to bees. Prevents soil erosion.

SEYAL (Acacia tortilis) A shade tree resistant to drought also planted around reservoirs to prevent evaporation. The fruit is popular and its wood is good for timber for buildings and railway sleepers as well as furniture and even boats! Also used for firewood and charcoal.

SIDR (Zizipus spinachristi) Very valuable shade tree not only whose bark is used for medicinal purposes (stomach pain and diarrohoea) the fruit is edible for humans and animals, the seeds are a local sweet, the leaves are used for mummification and fodder - and can be used to treat insect bites. It is good for furniture building, agricultural tools and fencing.

PONGAMIA (Pongamia pinnata) Shade tree. The fruit is a good animal fodder and the tree is important as a wind breaker and to prevent soil erosion.

Clean Water Access

Not only do we seek help with providing handpumps, but it is essential that all water sources used for human consumption should be kept clean. We are helping to fund simple filtration methods plus fencing to keep animals to where it is safe for them to drink, and to train communities in good hygiene practise. You may have read how cholera is now a feared disease again in Darfur.

Farming Techniques

Patricia explains: "When our implementing agents, Practical Action, told me the simple digging of ditches and creation of a crescent shaped bank could prolong the planting period for up to six months, frankly I was sceptical. I have now seen for myself cucumbers growing, which have not been watered beyond the original rainfall (possibly one "shower" for half an hour and then, no more). Yet they were growing prolifically. Beyond, the sand lay barren and bare."

We train a small group of farmers in each community who will then 'cascade' train others in the area.

What is then produced is critical in providing healthy food for children.

To increase the land that can be planted we also provide Donkey Ploughs. These are simple, made locally and can treble the amount of land planted. To own a donkey and plough, and then be able to hire him out, could provide sufficient income for a year's education for a child. And a plough only costs us £12!

Up to now we have not asked for funds for us to provide seeds for communities, although we have helped in some areas. Now, with the relentless violence, and urgent need, many people have been forced to eat seeds which they would normally have saved for the next year's planting. To secure their future it is essential people have seeds to plant to grow for their own future needs. (to help us provide these and other essentials please see the Gift List)

KIDS FOR KIDS is committed to funding a minimum of 150,000, for each of the next three years, to help families stay in their villages. Many families which were already facing great hardship, are hosting people made homeless because of the conflict. CAPITAL INTERNATIONAL is the first to help these families. "I cannot thank the Trustees enough" said Patricia "This support means a great deal - please can you help us give more families a chance?"