Saving Darfur

Since rebels took up arms against the government three years ago, 180,000 people have died through violence, hunger and disease in Darfur, a swath of land about the size of France. More than two million have been forced to flee their homes. These internally displaced persons, or IDPs, are spread across a huge, remote and barren territory.

Mercy Corps CEO Neal Keny-Guyer and Board Member Linda Mason recently visited Darfur to meet with the men, women and children being helped by the agency. Keny-Guyer says the situation is getting worse.

"Darfur today is unsafe for just about everyone, and the janjaweed militias responsible for the worst violence are moving into bordering Chad," says Keny-Guyer. "That's straining already-bad relations between Sudan and Chad, and risks escalating the violence."

Nearly 200 Mercy Corps staff members continue to assist roughly 106,000 Darfurians living in several displacement camps in what is known as the Zalingei Corridor. We are improving sanitation, providing clean water, distributing relief items, helping women build skills, and creating schools and safe places for children to play.

"We're trying to help people live with dignity and pick up knowledge and skills they can use when they return home," says Keny-Guyer.

Mercy Corps needs your voice and your financial assistance to make life better for the people of Darfur. Make a donation to our Darfur Crisis fund, and visit our advocacy page to learn how you can help persuade lawmakers to take steps to alleviate suffering in the region.