History
Practical Action in Sudan
Practical Action has had a presence in Sudan since 1974 when the Group (then ITDG) began a motorised ferro-cement boat building project in Juba, southern Sudan, at the request of Christian Aid and the Sudan Council of Churches. The intention was to establish a commercial boatyard to provide much needed local river transport along the upper reaches of the Nile.
In 1987 Practical Action was invited to give technical input to Oxfam, into the Kebkabiya smallholders programme in North Darfur. Two years later, Practical Action decided to extend its operations in Sudan. Its first country director was appointed in 1990 and the Sudan office officially opened its doors in December 1992.
In 1993 an integrated technology programme was developed in eastern Sudan, working in agroprocessing, manufacturing, transport and building materials.
The work includes helping poor people tackle problems of immense poverty caused by harsh environments, limited economic opportunities, lack of access to basic services and civil war. It has involved much effort and great dedication by Practical Action workers - sometimes in the face of grave danger. The need for this important work with vulnerable communities continues.
In 1997, the Darfur programme developed into an integrated programme of work incorporating food processing and transport projects.
The following projects have now been completed, but learning from these projects continues to inform our work.
- Eastern Sudan Integrated Technology Programme
- Food processing in eastern Sudan
- Small-scale manufacturing in eastern Sudan
- Building materials and shelter in eastern Sudan
- Food production in western Sudan
- Increasing food security in western Sudan
- Rural transport in Western Sudan
Reports and case studies from past and continuing projects can be found in our project news archive and in the Sharing newsletter.
Practical Action Sudan's current work is structured under the following three international programme aims:
- Reducing vulnerability - To strengthen the ability of poor people to use technology to cope with threats from natural disasters and environmental degradation, eg. droughts, floods and civil conflict such as conflict over limited natural resources
- Making markets work for poor people - To build secure livelihoods for poor people through improved systems of production, processing and marketing. Examples include: product development and diversification, access to technical and market information, access to niche markets, relevant vocational training, and extension services for market oriented agriculture
- Improving access to infrastructure services - To improve poor people's access to locally managed services, eg. renewable energy services, water, sanitation and waste management
