World Without Mines (Welt ohne Minen) has granted USD 55,212 to DCA’s Risk Education (RE) work in South Sudan. This allows DCA to give internally displaced people (IDPs), host communities and humanitarian workers a better understanding of explosive remnants of war (ERW) in order to protect themselves from death and injury.
South Sudan has had difficulties obtaining peace and security since the country gained independence from Sudan in 2011. Despite various efforts by the international community to build a stable, new country, violence broke out again at the end of 2013 and the country quickly descended into de facto civil war.
Today, more than 2 million people have fled the country or have been internally displaced, according to UNHCR, and the lives of IDPs, host communities, and humanitarian workers are extremely difficult.
Despite the signing of a Peace Agreement in August 2015, armed clashes have continued and there remains an urgent need for emergency RE in South Sudan.
With the grant from World Without Mines, DCA is able to provide RE to some of the most vulnerable populations affected by the conflict, and to educate community focal points in order to spread important RE messages and to ensure sustainability when the RE team has left the area.
DCA staff are also able to report on hazardous areas and notify the DCA technical team and relevant authorities in case the RE teams find any dangerous items.
Furthermore, the grant allows DCA to train several UN and NGO staff on how to recognize, report, and share messages on unexploded and abandoned ordnance.
In order to ensure that the project activities accurately address the needs and requirements of the affected communities, DCA will continuously meet with community leaders and beneficiaries.
The project started on September 1 and has a duration of four months.