Firewood project reduces risks for women

A Plan project is helping women displaced by conflict in Darfur who face rape, harassment and violence as they travel long distances to collect firewood.

In the Al-salam camp, which is home to 52,000 people, it is common for the women and girls to spend several hours a day walking to collect firewood for cooking. They walk for miles, often under a hot sun and with the constant threat of rape and harassment.

“We usually leave at 5am and reach the place where we can collect wood at 11am; it takes us about three hours to collect the wood.

We move in groups of five or six. We try to leave beautiful girls behind because the area is full of soldiers and if there is a nice girl they will isolate her from the group and rape her.

One day the soldiers in the area started beating three of the girls in our group for no reason. They asked about our tribes and finally raped two of the girls. When we returned to the camp the raped girls reported the incident to their families who went to their tribal leaders, the police and finally UNMIS but with no result.

One day because of the soldiers we could not go back to the camp until 2am.”
Woman at Al-salam camp

The availability of firewood in and around the camp is very limited as the camp is located in a drought zone of Northern Darfur, close to Elfashir town. The trees that existed when the camp was first established have been completely stripped.

The harassment, violence and rape that women are subjected to if they travel beyond the camp or the town boundaries are well known but poorly policed. The threat of violence not only limits women’s ability to fetch firewood, but also restricts their ability to find ways of generating income for their families.

In general, income-earning opportunities for people in Al-salam are very limited. Although the camp is close to Elfashir town, competition for work is high. The work that is available is irregular and poorly paid. The weekly cost of firewood and food far exceeds the amount most can earn.

To release women from the burden of firewood collection, protect them from sexual violence, and help rehabilitate the environment in and around Al-salam, Plan’s project will provide a store of firewood inside the camp.

Additionally, improved energy-saving stoves and alternatives to wood (gas, and kerosene) will be introduced, as well as training and support for new income generating activities. Recipients will be trained to use and maintain the stoves so that they can train others in the future.

Through this project, Plan aims to empower camp residents to adopt and manage alternative technologies and to contribute to the rehabilitation of the surrounding environment through reducing tree felling and gaining awareness of environmental conservation issues.