Internally displaced persons and social settlements in West Darfur

Terre des hommes (Tdh) has been conducting humanitarian relief operations on the ground in Darfur since 2004. Its activities basically include Protection, assistance to extremely vulnerable refugees, service delivery (NFI distribution), awareness creation (awareness team), etc. As the entity responsible for the management of the three camps near Geneina, Tdh embarked in 2008 on a community based approach to the management and coordination of these camps. This approach seeks to involve and facilitate the participation of partners (NGOs, UN agencies, local authorities) and the various segments of the community in the assessment of problems that arise in the camps, as well as in the search for solutions to those problems. Traditional social organisation in the camps revolves mainly around one type of political player: the Sheikh. However, change is happening in the social microcosm represented in the camps. Traditional ways of living and organisation are now being adjusted to and combined with the specific conditions in the camps.The present socio-anthropological research work attempts to provide the keys for gaining a deeper and better understanding of this new form of social organisation, and for improving community participation inactivities in the camps.