Sudan is the largest African country with an area of 2.5 million Km2 and is characterized by its diverse natural and socio-cultural environment. Sudan is the home of 31.7 million multi ethnic groups.

The civil war in Sudan has been dividing and segmenting the Sudanese peoples since the dawn of independence in 1956 imposing an extra burden on the national budget and posed a serious disruption in human, social, political and economic structures/resources of the country.  

Northern Sudan  Programme, Manager Asha El Karib

Thematic focus and Activities
 

 HIV/AIDS spread in Sudan has risen to alarming levels and several vulnerable high-risk groups in particular exhibited abnormally high rates of prevalence. An infection rate among IDPs and refugees is considered to be as high as 4.4%, while the national prevalence rate is estimated at 1.6%

ACORD in Sudan ACORD is operating 6 projects both in North and South. These projects are located in Khartoum in the north and Tali, Maiwut and juba in the south. The main thematic focuses of the programs are: mainly Livelihood, HIV/AIDS and Gender while conflict is also a secondary focus.

Livelihoods: The livelihood interventions includes; agriculture and horticultural production, improved livestock, poultry and fisheries production, Small Scale Business Revolving Fund Income Generation Project. The program is providing the urban poor mainly with the provision of credit services, skill trainings, and business development services while in the urban area provision of seeds and tools, fishery equipment and training, livestock services and provision of water are the main interventions.

To influence the policy and planning process, ACORD has organized its partners to participate in the formulation of PRSP in for the country. This has given the opportunity to partners to view their concerns and incorporate their priorities in the plan. 

HIV/AIDS: the activities include awareness raising, care and support and influencing policy and practice changes. ACORD has delivered various trainings and workshops which have helped the community to better understand the causes and consequences of the pandemic. In addition the program has also managed to influence policy makers, tribal and religious leaders to take up active participation in combating HIV/AIDS particularly in influencing the communities change negative traditional practices. Trainings, workshops, meetings, radio and T.V. programs, annual celebration against AIDS and FGM were the methodologies used to raise the awareness of the people and support advocacy campaigns

The program partners in the implementation of the activities include; students, PLAWs, orphans, schoolteachers, sex workers, military people, community informants, educators, counselors and communicators. 

Conflict:  the work focuses on peace building and conflict resolutions by way of enhancing the capacity of community organizations and other stakeholders to address the conflict issues. To this end the program provides basic skills and knowledge through participatory planning exercises, trainings and workshops which included training workshops on conflict analysis, mapping, transformation, prevention, gender focused analytical framework and other formal training sessions and. Cultural groups and mobile theatres.  Research is also to understand the basic roots of conflict and delivery the activities in appropriate manner. The program partners under this thematic focus include displaced and their committees, community organizations, teachers and students, decision makers, community leaders and youth groups.

Civil society capacity building : ACORD supports associations, e.g. peace and human rights associations and networks, village, neighbourhoods development and IDPs committees, youth associations, women organisations, PLWAS& Anti AIDS student, and the youth drama group, women credit and saving and ROSCA groups, FGM abolition and Anti-AIDS networks etc. for more capacity, recognition and confidence as the primary actors in social change. On-the-job training and mentoring is carried out with grass roots on daily and periodical instances. Joint meeting for planning, Identifying and preparing projects, carrying out implementation and follow up is carried out jointly.

Formal training is also provided to specifically develop civil society capacity in managerial and organizational areas together with their participation in thematic areas of the program. 420 men and women community leaders attended training workshops in a range of issues including strategic thinking, leadership training, literacy etc. to improve relevant skills

It’s in this ground that ACORD provides them with training in many aspects, advocacy in peace building and conflict transformation was one of the key area organisational and gender and social exclusion practice etc... in addition to some material and financial support facilitation of their legalisation those process and actions has made them to be recognised by the public and the state authorities.

Yet Civil Society still rates as weak in relation to challenges of upholding social justice and human rights issues. However, with peace and freedom they will be shaping themselves in solidarity. This in turn shall be ACORD’s challenge to promote advocacy, lobbing strategies and to net work and empower Sudanese civil societies and other community groups.