Education Conference Begins
It’s a boy!
The day started with a 2 hour service at YWAM of Holy Communion – this amazingly ended within the planned time – it was led by 2 Ugandan Clergy who preside in the local church to the CRESS office.
Following this lovely service it was breakfast again – so we the team ate for the third day running a second breakfast! Suddenly I was aware of the need for many conversations with individuals to learn of their situations and circumstances and time was running out.
Caroline
Photo: We finished the day by cutting the cake to celebrate the end of the Education Conference.
A team from the Ugandan Government were invited to join the end of the conference and to speak to us
We were honoured with the education officer for Arua City and the president’s representative in the City of Arua she gave a powerful speech at the conference praising the CRESS education programme. She was especially keen to advocate for the education of girls and to encourage the students to aim for positions in leadership.
She was highly impressed with the transparency of CRESS in its finances and reassured us all that our funds are being used for the correct purposes. It sounded like the government would consider to work with CRESS AFRICA so we will see what comes out of this connection.
Jane
We had a good opportunity for a long discussion with five of the Community Process Facilitators (CPFs) based in the Mijale and Imvepi camps. Achile Moses is the lead CPF and Abate Julius Chaplain is the livelihood officer on CRESS Africa staff. The aim of these groups is to encourage and facilitate business activities and savings in very challenging circumstances facing the refugees. The groups have been a huge success.
Currently there are 62groups limited to 30 members each. The group members work together to encourage one another in new business endeavours or group projects. The members pay a small fee to the group and such collected funds are then available for loans to group members. Examples of business ventures include vegetable sales, grinding mills and bee keeping. Amazingly the loans, due in 4 months, have been repaid with interest without defaults!
The CRESS CPFs were most appreciative of the training they have received from CRESS and all are keen to pass this knowledge on to the group members via weekly meetings. Some group members have raised sufficient funds to pay school fees for their children (about 250 children have had their school fees paid by these funds). In addition, the diet of the group members and their families have improved.
Other South Sudanese refugees living in the camps have expressed a keen desire to join such livelihood groups. Plans are currently being considered to see if additional groups can be funded and facilitated in the future.
Chris and Stephen
One of the highlights of a wonderful day was an inspirational presentation from the young people who had graduated from tertiary education. A decade or so ago, when the sponsorship programme was in its infancy, Caroline used to talk about the dream of raising a generation of educated professionals who would be the leaders of a new South Sudan. Today we saw that dream realised.
The alumni spoke of their journeys with CRESS and their achievements. The alumni there represent a group of about 25 CRESS graduates. There are medics, lawyers, IT specialists, dieticians and nutritionists, logistics and procurement officers and engineers. Almost all are working for NGOs and using their education to better their people's lives and prepare their beloved country for the exiles' return. They also pledged to strengthen their ties so they can increase their effectiveness and be positive support for current students.
Their enthusiasm and determination was a joy to see - and if you ever needed it, it is proof that investing in these refugees' education will change their people's world.
Becky
