In support of the disabled community, especially the victims of explosive remnants of war (ERW) accidents, UNAMID’s Ordnance Disposal Office funded through a quick impact project (QIPs) a month-long skills training programme for the Union of the Disabled in El Geneina, West Darfur.

The programme aimed at developing the capacity of victims of ERW accidents and providing them with income generating activities began in October 2014. The course was attended by more than 100 disabled people and victims of ERW accidents who were trained in the production and assembling of mobility facilities such as wheel chairs, elbow sticks, arm and hand sticks as well as in food processing and handicrafts.

“Acquiring skills on fabricating and assembling of mobility facilities for the disabled has boosted my moral and increased my self-esteem” says Omar Abdallah Ahmed member of the Union of the Disabled.

Omar, a student at the University of Zalingei, in El Geneina, also points outs that the wheel chair he received would enable him to move around easily at the university.

On 3 December 2014, as part of the activities marking the International Day of Persons with disabilities, over 40 wheel chairs, 100 arm sticks and elbow sticks produced by the disabled union were distributed to over 100 beneficiaries.

Armed hostilities in Darfur in the past years have left a legacy of explosive remnants of war which have caused the injury or death of many people.

Since 2007, the Mission’s Ordnance Disposal Office has conducted general explosives hazard assessment in 1,806 villages covering 3,719 km2 of an area, assessed 23,687 km of routes. In conducting these activities, a total of 6, 804 items of unexploded ordnance have been located and destroyed, 32,481 small arms and ammunition destroyed and a total of 556, 126 civilians have received explosive remnants of war risk education.

The explosive remnants of war clearance and explosive ordnance disposal activities have freed up more land for agricultural use and facilitated the safety of movement of the local population.