On January 9, Sudan is supposed to hold a referendum on independence for the oil-rich, mostly Christian southern part of the country that has been in constant conflict with the Muslim north. The north/south dispute is likely to be resolved by splitting the country in two, but that fighting is separate from Sudan’s other notorious conflict in Darfur, that since 2003 has pitted largely nomadic Arabic tribes against the sedentary African population of the region in a battle over resource and land allocation. The fighting in Darfur has killed more than 300,000 people and 2.7 million more ( 80% of them women and children) have been displaced to Chad and other refugee camps  in one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) is the only official United Nations agency with the mandate to care for and protect these refugees—and it has been doing so for years. UNHCR runs 12 refugee camps in Chad, providing protection, shelter, clean water, education and medical attention to people who have been forced to flee their homes. It is literally their last and only line of defense in this war of genocide.

This Christmas, it’s good to remember those who have not even a manger or stable to shelter them…and babies with no crib for a bed. My $100 today goes to USA for UNHCR. Click here to join me!