The humanitarian organizations Solidarités International and CARE International have stopped providing services at Yida refugee camp since the start of 2014, reportedly for different reasons.
Solidarités worked in the fields of sanitation and water in Yida camp since mid 2012, and at nearby Ajuong Thok camp since March 2013. For its part, CARE worked in primary health care, health education, and assisting the elderly and disabled.
Both of the organizations were working under the direction of the UN Refugee Agency. Local staff of the organization CARE attributed its departure to finance-related issues, and said that in mid December they handed over their services to the International Rescue Committee (IRC), which absorbed 13 staff of the other organization.
Local staff of Solidarités, for their part, said their work was stopped as a result of a disagreement with the UN’s labor policies which had required them to transfer their services and field office to the Ajuong Thok camp, which is a smaller camp near Yida that the UN aims to make the settlement point for new arrivals from the Nuba Mountains.
Staff say the organization was reluctant to set up a branch office there on the grounds that the services should be provided where the most people are, which is Yida. They said they were surprised when the UN decided to withhold funds from the organization and ordered it to close its offices in Yida and Adjuong Thok and hand over services to the organization Samaritan’s Purse.
Solidarités International confirmed the closure of its sites in the camps, saying in an online advert, “Since 23th of December 2013, SI phased out from Yida and Ajuong refugee camps.”
UNHCR stated in a recently published report as well, “WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) services in Ajuong Thok Camp are operational; they are mainly delivered by IRC that has taken over from Solidarités International. Two WASH technicians and two Community Hygiene Promoters are on the ground.”
Photo: A patient receiving care at an MSF clinic in Yida refugee camp (MSF/Camille Lepage)