Where is the money going?

November 2007

— The ongoing attacks carried out against civilians by the government of Sudan and its proxy militia — the Janjaweed — have displaced over 2.5 million Darfurians and resulted in the deaths of as many as 400,000 civilians. Murder, rape and displacement continue as the world waits for progress in the peace process and deployment of a capable protection force.

 

How GI-Net Protects Civilians

GI-Net is the only organization with programs in Darfur focused exclusively on the problem of protecting civilians from further violence. We do this by working with the displaced communities, the African Union, the United Nations, and organizations on the ground.

We develop flexible and responsive projects that use the latest information from the ground to best protect civilians. Below are some examples of the types of ways we are providing this protection in five camps in North Darfur.

Firewood

Several of our programs relate to the need for firewood. Securing firewood is of vital importance. The food provided by aid agencies is inedible unless cooked requiring some kind of cooking fuel. However, firewood is becoming scarce or non-existent around the camps, forcing women further into the desert to dig up roots, a journey which can leave them vulnerable for up to 15 hours at a time.

 

Formed Police Units

Civilian protection must be made a top priority for the incoming hybrid peacekeeping force. This requires tremendous planning and an understanding of the civilian protection problem so that forces on the ground are able and ready to perform this task. Together with the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (UN), we are working on programs to catalyze the necessary planning process.

These projects represent an essential component of GI-Net's mission to directly protect civilians on the ground from genocidal violence. We are proud that this has been made possible through the commitment of countless individuals such as you. Thank you for your support!