IOM’s latest assessment report of 206 villages in Southern Kordofan and four States in Southern Sudan (Northern and Western Bahr El Ghazal, Warrab and Unity) reveals continuing shortfalls in basic services and infrastructure with particular needs in the water, shelter, health and education sectors. The total reported population within the assessed villages is 1,524,370 persons of which returnees represent around 22 per cent (340,773 returnees). Data compiled by IOM and its partners shows that water is the main concern in almost 100 villages since more than 500 people use a single water point. "padding: 0px 0px 10px 10px; float: right; width: 50%;"> "border-style: none; background-image: none; vertical-align: top; width: 100%; background-color: rgb(51, 102, 204); text-align: left;">Download "border-style: none; background-image: none; vertical-align: top; width: 100%; background-color: rgb(153, 204, 255); text-align: left;"> "/jahia/webdav/shared/shared/mainsite/media/docs/reports/village_assessment_report_march_to_august07.pdf" target="_blank" title=""> "background-color: rgb(153, 204, 255);">Village Assessment Report March - August 2007 The report establishes that more than 40 per cent of the assessed returnees live with relatives or friends, 38 per cent have their own shelter, which needs rehabilitation, and only 17 per cent live in new shelters. More than 55 per cent of the returnees say they want to rehabilitate or rebuild their shelter using grass or thatch and 23 per cent using plastic sheeting. Farming and the purchase of locally produced goods on the local markets remains the main source of food, although additional sorghum remains the greatest need for returnees.  In the health sector, the main requirement is for medical buildings (29.17 per cent) followed by the need for more medical staff (26.39 per cent) and medicine (25 per cent). In the education sector, the total number of functioning primary schools is 188 of which 52 per cent are made of thatch and 20 per cent are ‘under the tree’ schools. The main educational needs are in order of priority: buildings, furniture, teachers and textbooks. “The assessments were conducted to identify shortfalls in basic infrastructure and needs for services,” says Gerard Waite, IOM’ Senior Protection Officer.  “This information will serve as the basis for interventions through IOM’s own High/Quick Impact and Community Stabilization projects and will also be shared with Sudanese government partners and the international community working in these areas to coordinate reintegration assistance for returnees and to address broader protection concerns.” While there are considerable difficulties in estimating the total number of returns to Southern Sudan and Southern Kordofan in 2007, the United Nations (UN) estimates that 1.2 million internally displaced people have returned to their former homes in the 10 states of Southern Sudan. Since 2006, IOM has assisted more nearly 60,500 South Sudanese internally displaced persons to return to Southern Sudan and Southern Kordofan by land, barge and air. To access the report, please go to "paragraph-link-no-underline" href= "http://www.iom.int">www.iom.int. For further information, please contact: Simona Opitz IOM Sudan Tel: + 249 9123 39700 E-mail: "mailto:sopitz@iom.int">sopitz@iom.int