Hamid’s story is not unique. When he was just 15 months old his family – forced to leave their home in Darfur and find shelter in a camp for others displaced by the internal conflict – had reached the end of their resources. Without intensive and prolonged help, Hamid’s life was in the balance.
Since the start of the conflict in 2003, Darfur has become synonymous with division, turmoil and horror. While the situation has moved up and down our news agenda, the suffering of thousands within the region has increased. Darfur now faces a significant food crisis, with alarmingly high levels of malnutrition being reported in the south of the province.
Tearfund’s Disaster Management Team has been working alongside those that are threatened by malnutrition. The team’s feeding programmes and support of a small local NGO nutrition work has helped those facing incredible need.
One of the areas in which the team are at work is the town of Ed Daein. It was to this stabilisation centre that Hamid’s parent’s brought their under nourished little boy. His rapidly deteriorating condition had caught the attention of other mothers in the camp and it was on their recommendation that they went.
Six weeks later, after intensive treatment Hamid finally reached his target weight and was discharged, to the relief and gratitude of his mother:
’I am very grateful for the treatment he has received,’ she told staff. ’I had lost hope that my child would ever recover and I am thankful to God and to Tearfund that he had recovered so soon.’
Tearfund’s ten-year plan of seeing 50 million people released from spiritual and material poverty through a network of 100,000 local churches is built on stories such as Hamid’s, where the generosity of supporters in the UK directly benefits local groups working among those in need in some of the world’s poorest areas.