As violence and destruction in the Darfur region of Sudan continue to dominate headlines, the Methodist Relief and Development Fund is continuing to provide aid for some of the three million people directly affected by the conflict.

The MRDF is a member of the Action by Churches Together global network which is providing aid to displaced persons in Darfur and the surrounding area through its partners in the region.

MRDF is supporting its partners on the ground as they continue to provide vital health and education services to some of the estimated two million people forced by the ongoing conflict to live in the sprawling camps.

The MRDF partners are also providing essential household items such as bedding and cooking utensils to families who have been forced to leave all their possessions behind.

Camp residents are also taking part in hygiene training and clean-up campaigns provided by the MRDF partners to help them make the most of their new living environment.

Children, meanwhile, are being provided with education and counselling by specially trained teachers to help them build hope in a future beyond the camp.

The headmaster of one camp school told MRDF: "If this school wasn't here, and these children could not learn, then they would purely be victims of the conflict."

MRDF said: "While some communities have been able to return to their villages, the need for a humanitarian response in Darfur is ongoing.

"Alongside this, MRDF is also building a long-term development programme in areas of Sudan where it is safe to work to improve people's livelihoods and security."