THE SUDAN -- Assist International Building Schools in Southern Darfur, Sudan
Assist team member Steve Savelich reports from the Southern Darfur region of Sudan, where he stayed in one of the IDP camps near the city of Nyala

With over 36,000 inhabitants, the majority of them Darfurians, the Deraige IDP camp houses thousands of children seeking refuge from the war-torn countryside. Families forced to flee their homes see the IDP as a temporary situation, but with the continued genocide in Darfur, many of the internally displaced children will end up spending their entire childhood in the camp.

Steve met with Assist International's partner in the region, EDOOS (Educational Development Organization of Sudan), a local NGO that has started a much-needed school in the camp in order to give the children access to education and provide stability in their lives during this time of fear and uncertainty. "We now know that providing education for children caught up in armed conflicts must be a top priority as it provides a sense of normalcy and routine during a time of extreme emotional hardship," said Steve. The minimum period required for achieving basic literacy is five years of primary education -- a goal that EDOOS is striving to provide.

Initially working with 180 children in different classes, EDOOS was able to build two additional, temporary classrooms in 2007 to allow for a total of 259 children. In February 2008, at the end of the academic year, 212 of the 259 children had been advanced to the next class level. EDOOS and its teaching staff (all university trained residents of Nyala) hope to add a grade each year so that eventually all five primary grades are taught.

The teachers' salaries are currently funded through February 2009 by a grant from Chicago University. EDOOS' Program Coordinator, Lawrence Towongo Kalisto Lokosang is in negotiation with the Ministry of Education and is asking that the Ministry commit to cover the staff salaries (equivalent to $150 USD per month) in order to ensure the continuation and sustainability of the school.

EDOOS is also working towards the construction of new classrooms as the rain and hot wind from June to September makes class in the temporary "lean-to" classrooms nearly impossible. They are hoping to hire local residents to work with the contractor in order to boost the local economy and instill the school with a sense of community ownership.

Steve is hopeful and encouraged by the progress of the children at the EDOOS school. "EDOOS is playing a vital and effective role in empowering the children of Deraige IDP Camp. As victims of war and genocide, these families face continuous obstacles that obstruct and disable the childhood and future of their children. This school is working hard to overcome such obstacles and the results are already indicating that the children and community are benefiting tremendously."

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Additional Photos from this School Construction Project:


The Walls of the New School are Completed

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A Teacher Shows the Inside of a Completed Classroom

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Donkeys Huddle in the Narrow Strip of Shade Provided by the School

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The Women of Darfur Were Instrumental in Construction Also (a Rarity in Sudan)

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A Key Part of the Plan is to Employ Local Villagers for the Sake of Their Economies

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A Teacher Stands in Front of a Completed Classroom

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Sudanese Children Play in the Shadow of their New School

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The Zinc Roof and Concrete Floors Have Been Installed

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BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THE CONFLICT IN DARFUR

Beginning in February of 2003, the Genocide in Darfur (acknowledged by the U.S. Government) is one of the most horrific ethnic or tribal-based conflicts in present day Africa. One side of the armed conflict is composed of the Sudanese military and the Janjaweed, a militia group recruited mostly from the Arab Baggara tribes of the northern Rizeigat (camel-herding nomads).

The other side is comprised of a variety of rebel groups, notably the Sudan Liberation Movement and the Justice and Equality Movement, primarily recruited from the land-tilling non-Arab Fur, Zaghawa, and Massaleit ethnic groups. The Sudanese government, while publicly denying that it supports the Janjaweed, has provided money and assistance to the militia and has participated in joint attacks targeting the tribes from which the rebels draw support.

In addition to tribal distinctions, the country is also segmented by the Muslim North and the Christian South, with most of the nation's resources (oil fields and food production) residing in the South. A presidential election is slated for 2009 and a referendum on cessation (the South from the North) for 2011.

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