Building hope through water in North Darfur

By Samreen Abuidris, OCHA Sudan, with Solidarités International

“Together, we are improving people’s lives through clean water and better hygiene,” said Ali Adam Mohammed, an internally displaced person belonging to a committee overseeing water supply in Daba Naira camp in Tawila locality, North Darfur State.

Ali, 47, was forcibly displaced by Sudan’s ongoing conflict and arrived at the camp two years ago. He is among the 800,000 people who currently live in Tawila. The conditions in the camp are extremely harsh – access to clean water is limited, sanitation and hygiene services are overstretched, and the relentless influx of newly displaced families continues to strain already fragile resources.

Taking action

Despite the dire conditions, Ali chose to remain active and use his background in the maintenance and rehabilitation of water yards to support his community. He became a key member of the Water User Committee in the camp, an initiative supported by the OCHA-managed Sudan Humanitarian fund (SHF) to strengthen community-led water management systems.

He was later selected by his community to lead the committee, which he says has given him a sense of purpose.

“The community trusted me because I had worked on water systems before. They believed I could help keep our water yard functional and safe,” Ali said.

Through the committee, he learned how to use chlorine tablets for water treatment, how to repair and maintain water systems and organize community-led maintenance schedules.

“The most important lesson I learned is how to build strong relationships between people from different camps. We are now one team working towards the same goal – clean water for everyone,” added Ali.

Ali participates in an assessment interview with a Solidarités International team member at Daba Naira camp, Tawila, North Darfur. Photo: Solidarités International

Strengthening water access

The committee has made significant progress under Ali’s leadership. It has rehabilitated the water yard and promoted hygiene practices such as cleaning jerrycans before filling them. The members have also worked with community hygiene promoters to spread messages on safe water handling, handwashing and sanitation.

The committee has also introduced protective measures to prevent the theft of solar systems and equipment and set up a communication network to share updates and coordinate repairs. These efforts have improved the sustainability of the water systems and strengthened social cohesion.

Displaced people queue for water at the upgraded water yard at Daba Naira camp, Tawila, North Darfur Photo: Solidarités International

Delivering support where communities need it most

In Tawila, the SHF has supported Solidarités International, an international non-governmental organization, to address the urgent needs of tens of thousands of displaced families by providing water, sanitation and hygiene services.

Humanitarian partners are working tirelessly to deliver food, water, healthcare and protection services to displaced people in Tawila. But their resources are stretched, and they urgently need more funding to expand and sustain life-saving assistance.

In 2024 and 2025, SHF allocated more than US$76 million to humanitarian partners across North Darfur State, including $25.8 million to support displaced communities in Tawila. Across the state, partners have assisted more than 2.4 million people.

As funding cuts continue to affect the most vulnerable people in crisis countries, OCHA is running a 87-day campaign to rally support from new and existing donors for 87 million people with most severe needs covered by our global humanitarian appeal.

Donations made to UN Crisis Relief help UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs reach people in Sudan with urgent support.