|PIC1|Caritas is seeking to raise £7.5 million to help 350,000 people in the troubled Darfur region of Sudan.

The Catholic aid agency will use the funds to continue a six-year programme undertaking peacebuilding work and providing clean water and healthcare in partnership with the Protestant and Orthodox aid agency ACT International.

Nearly two thirds of the people benefiting from the support have lost their homes as a result of the conflict that erupted in 2003 between the Sudanese government and janjaweed militia group on one side, and rebel groups like the Sudan Liberation Army and Justice and Equality Movement on the other.

Hundreds of thousands of people were killed in the conflict, which has given way to a fragile peace in the last year. Despite reports that the janjaweed has stopped raiding villages, the UN estimates that 2.7 million people remain in camps for displaced persons, still too afraid to return home for fear of being raped or killed by marauding bandits.

Caritas is one of the few aid agencies still operating in Darfur after 16 aid agencies were closed down or expelled from the region in western Sudan last March.

Caritas Internationalis Secretary-General Lesley-Anne Knight said: “Caritas and its partners continue to help 350,000 people through this appeal. Over the next 12 months, there will be a continued focus on providing desperately needed aid as one of the biggest humanitarian organisations left operating in Darfur.”

Caritas and ACT have raised £50 million for the people of Darfur since 2004. Their work in the region includes constructing health facilities, schools, nutrition centres, community centres and water tanks.

Last year, Caritas implemented its Sport for Peace youth programme in Darfur and trained 190 community peace builders.

Ms Knight said: “Looking back at 2009, it is quite clear that among the greatest achievements was the ability to fill some of the gaps in the aftermath of March expulsions of other international aid agencies.”