Livelihoods

The problem: Sudan's population is estimated at 30.5 million, half of which are children. 80% of the population depends on agriculture (cultivation and livestock rearing) for income generation and livelihood.  

Traditional agriculture sector mainly suffers from fluctuating rainfall -  usually witnesses frequent and prolonged dry spells-  lacking of access to improved inputs by local farmers, lack of tools for cultivation, adoption of mono-cropping pattern, soil degradation due to cutting of trees and desert encroachment, and poor harvest due to poor rains and pest infestations. Livestock sector characterizes by prevalence of epidemic diseases. Also, lack of veterinary services and drugs at the community level, limited  practices to improve local breeds, as well as lack of livestock vaccination campaigns are observed. These factors are compounded by insecurity as well as limited livelihoods options. 

What We Do?

Save the Children works to restore, safeguard and strengthen livelihoods of extremely vulnerable households, especially women, and ensures they are generating adequate food and financial resources to support their children.

Support for Traditional Rain-fed Agriculture: we provide improved agricultural inputs – seeds and tools, and trainings to farmers. We also establish demonstration plots.

Support for livestock: we provide veterinary services at community level through selection and training of para-vets and provide them with essential veterinary drugs. We support the de-worming and vaccination of livestock against various diseases to avoid outbreaks. Also we work on restocking of small ruminants for IDPs and vulnerable people.

Support for horticulture production: we provideirrigation facilities, vegetable seeds and trainings (mainly women) with the aim to diversify food production and improve the nutrition status of the children.

Support for income generation: we construct community multi-purpose centers and we form groups (mainly women and youths) and we support them with training on business management and marketing.

Support for environmental conservation: through establishment of nurseries to produce tree seedlings distributed in the vulnerable areas. Manufacturing and distribution of fuel-efficient stoves to minimize felling of trees for fuel is also supported.

Cash for Work (CFW): the CFWs’projects are used as a short term emergency intervention to help the affected communities to have cash in hand to maintain their subsistence level in a dignified way and also help in rebuilding the community’s infrastructure.

OUR IMPACT

In 2013, the livelihoods sector directly reached 18,116 people, of which 11,026 are children, and reached approximately 87,521 people indirectly of which 25,067 are children.