Christian Mission Aid CMA - Action Against Hunger

12land cultivated depends on available farm labour and tools. Most households have few malodas, pangas andsickles; this limits the amount of land that can be cultivated. Returnees have introduced Jembes, which residentcommunities have been receptive to.For most of the year, the Dinka Bor diet consists of sorghum, fish, goat meat and milk. Maize is consumed to alimited extent. Milk is added to the sorghum/maize diet depending on its availability. Fish and goat meat areserved as stews. During the “hunger gap” period, the community depends on wild leaves, lalop, water lily,barter trading in which goats and grass are exchanged for grains, as well as from WFP relief food. Sale offirewood to NGO’s and food for work are also practised.Food stocks were not observed in most of the visited households during the time of survey. According to thecommunity, the last harvest in October/ November 2004 was poor as compared to 2003 harvest due to laterains, heavy wind and attack from birds. This concurs with STARBASE 2004 report, which estimated that poorhouseholds in Bor were to experience a 15- 20% food deficit. The most affected are the pure small-scale cropfarming households. The community reported that the maize harvested last October had been exhausted by thetime of survey and they are now surviving on the little sorghum harvested in November 2004 and on wild food.The last WFP distribution was done in April 2005. The total number of beneficiaries was 13,758 with 50%rations provided for residents and 100% rations for returnees; this was estimated to last for 44 and 30 days,respectively. The food consisted of cereals 152.35 mt, pulses 17.25mt, CSB 10.9 mt, oil 10.719 mt and salt 1.5mt. Each returnee household received; cereals 81kg, pulses 9kg, CSB 9kg, oil 5.4kg and salt 0.92 kg. Eachresident household received; cereals 60kg, pulses 7kg, CSB 3kg, oil 4.35kg and salt 0.53kg. These have beenexhausted.The rivers Magol Bior and Nile provide fishing opportunities, although access is limited due to lack ofappropriate fishing gear, canoes, and presence of crocodiles and hippos. FAO and CRS through SARP arecurrently implementing a capacity building project in fishing. FAO provides training in fishing methods andprocessing, in boat construction and marketing. In fish processing, FAO has introduced smoked fish, sun driedsalty fish and wet salty fish although low access to salt hinders local fishermen from gaining from this programfully. Five shops along the Nile River have been established where fish and fishing equipment such as twinesare sold on cost recovery basis. SARP offers training in technical, business skills and is overseeing theconstruction of fishing school.Livestock kept by the community include cattle, sheep, goat, and chicken. Cattle are kept as a source of milk, fortrading purposes and payment of dowry. On special occasions, cattle, goat and sheep are slaughtered toprovide meat. Milk produced by cow is 2 litres per day during the rainy season and 0.5 litres per day during thedry season. The cattle are usually moved to the cattle camps between the month of May and November. Atpresent, little livestock is kept by households due to massive cattle raids from 1991 to 1994 and sporadically tothis time. The average number of cattle per household is 60-300 for the rich, 5-15 for the middle class and 0-4for the poor; majority of the community is in the middle class. CARE supports veterinary services in the areathrough SRRC on a cost recovery basis..V.3. HealthCMA operates 6 Primary Health Care Units (PHCU’s), one Primary Health Care Centre (PHCC) and atuberculosis clinic. The PHCU’s are located in Tong, Makol cuei, Akuei Deng, Apoor, Mathiang, and Kolmarek,while there are three non-functional PHCUs located in Kuei, Yolmuchel and Jalle II. The services are managedby an expatriate Doctor and 3 Nurses together with 15 community health workers (CHW’s), 1 medical assistant,2 Nurses, 2 Laboratory assistants, 2 Pharmacy assistants and 36 support staff. MEDAIR, which used to operatein the location, trained all technical local staff. 60 Trained birth Attendants assist in the maternal child healthcare while 4 other community health promoters deliver health education to the community.Morbidity reports in the PHCC indicate that malaria, diarrhoea and respiratory infections are the leading causesof consultations. Other reported diseases are skin diseases, malnutrition, intestinal parasites and eye infections.Screening for TB cases is carried out at the centers, and positive cases are referred for treatment in the TBclinic in Baidit. Other services provided are regular EPI (measles, polio, BCG, and DPT) and maternal childhealth care.