Bringing change after peace

Nawal at school [Annie Bungeroth]

The Church Ecumenical Action in Sudan (CEAS) focuses on agricultural training and women’s projects, and also provides seeds and emergency kits to people returning to Southern Sudan following the civil war

For many years CEAS was the only agency in Kurmuk near the Ethiopian border but, since the peace agreement, security has improved and more agencies are helping with health and education.

Risk of infection from HIV is on the increase due to Kurmuk’s location on the border and local customs such as scar-cutting and female circumcision.

CEAS is working on increasing awareness and providing services for people living with HIV and AIDS, and also supports some of the doctors at a local hospital.

CEAS also rehabilitated and still funds one of the three primary schools in Kurmuk. However, the classrooms are extremely overcrowded – often 150 pupils per class.

There is no secondary school. The government made many promises that things would improve but the population has seen no change since the peace agreement was signed in 2005.

Human rights play a crucial role in education – both for children and adults. Jervasio O. Okot, ROOF’s journalist and civic education officer says:“We talk about human rights and issues of land, which is sometimes a cause of tension between the farmers and the nomads.

“There are political games being played with these people so they are experiencing some tension and stress over what they should decide on whether to go with the north or south government.“

Agriculture

CEAS has also helped bring vegetables into people’s diets by providing tomato, onion and aubergine seeds and is training people to grow vegetables, cereals and maize and improve their planting and irrigation skills.

Alfred Gworit George, 38, CEAS agricultural officer says: “There used to be a lot of mangoes and oranges grown here. Big traders would come from Damazin and Khartoum to take the fruit to factories for processing.

“But very little of the income came back into this area. Workers were paid a pittance while the fruit was shipped elsewhere to be made into juice and the government got the profits.”

Workshops with village committees have helped form proposals on how agriculture could help development in the area.

“The market for produce is growing in Damazin. We want them to reach a point when they can sustain themselves but that will take a long time,” says Alfred.

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