What is life like in Darfur?
People in Darfur are used to living in a very challenging environment. Darfur has a semi-arid climate with limited arable land and little annual rainfall. The Sahara desert is known for its searing heat, recurrent drought and minimal infrastructure. However, whether it is by owning livestock, cultivating land, or being nomadic herders, Darfurians have found innovative means of survival. In villages, families of several generations live in compounds of several structures, usually surrounded by a four-to-five foot mud or rock wall. People live in round mud huts, or tukuls, with hard mud floors and thatched roofs. Most compounds also have one more open-air shelter to provide shade and protection from heat. Wealthier residents generally have larger compounds and more brick structures.
