Distribution of school materials, uniforms and fees to child soldiers in Khorfulus
18/06/2008
Update from July 2007 by Izeldin Rahamtalla Fadol, Program Co-ordinator
As part of the ongoing support provided to former child soldiers in the Khorfulus area and in the town of Malakal in Sudan.
Our volunteer team launched another visit to Khorfulus between 28 July 2007 and 1 August 2007 (5 days) and successfully completed their mission and came back the out put of the visit is as follows:
They have distributed school materials to 64 child soldiers (we have added (2) to the known (62) child soldiers, also they have distributed uniforms and school bags to them
They have also distributed the house hold allowances for the (251) child soldiers for August 2007 (as known the total No. of the child soldiers now is 251) after the death of two of them.
The team has met with the local authorities of education and discussed the difficulties that face the educational process in the area to pass the information to the stake holders of the ministry of education in Malakal and Jongoly.
Special support went to the Church school where 10 child soldiers were integrated also due to their role in education before others start and because they have accommodated our team with them.
This and our program will keep on supporting those youngsters till they pass this critical bend and find their way to a better future.
Graduation of former child soldiers in Sudan
Update from August 2007 from Programme Co-ordinator, Izeldin Rahamtalla Fadol
We are glad to inform you that, we have just celebrated the graduation of the (85) Child Soldiers who received Vocational Training in different skills in Malakal Vocational Training Centre (MVTC) in the period between March and May ,this course was done in cooperation between SOS as the sponsor of the former child soldiers(pay fees of training), MVTC to train the CS and UNIDO to co-ordinate.
Those children have spent three months in the centre and now they are bearing certificates in different skills in the fields of:
Carpentry
Cars Mechanics
General Electricity
Automobile Electricity
Welding
Sewing and Knitting
Building
Black smithery
The graduation celebration took place in the buildings of MVTC and was attended by the director general of social planning and the head of Khorfulus Church besides the members of child protection group.
SOS Children have paid the fees for the whole number of children to the MVTC and followed them during the course period to make sure that they were getting good training.
Also, besides our targeted group we have put conditions to the director of MVTC to open free training chances for other needy youth to be served as secondary beneficiaries so he agreed and add more (35) secondary beneficiaries to reach the total of 120 beneficiaries. A great opportunity has been given 120 youth great chances to start their life with good professions and the former child soldiers have paved their way towards better life. On the other hand, SOS Children has raised the issue of employment to the social planning office to support those who were graduated in terms of job finding which will be great challenge for them after graduation and we will follow that to make sure that they have really benefited from the training they received.
2008 update
There are 200 new former child soldiers on the rehabilitation and reunification programme this year, from the Khorfulus area and Malakal town.
They began by receiving group and individual counselling. Some have already been reunited with their family members and others are being supported to be reintegrated into their home communities.
The young people - mostly boys, but some girls - are now undertaking vocational courses including car mechanics, carpentry, electrics, plumbing, construction and sewing at the SOS training centre, or have been enrolled at school.
The climate of southern Sudan is very harsh from April up to November; there is heavy rain that mixes with the muddy soil to make it difficult to move by car or any other means of transportation except through the rivers. This is just one of the reasons that can lead to young people abandoning their classes. To try to reduce this problem, the young people are provided with rain coats and gum.
The rehabilitation programme includes three environmental days in Khorfulus, whereby the former child soldiers help to clean the town. This new initiative was introduced in 2007 and proved successful in helping to change the attitudes of some community members who perceive the children as ‘wrong doers’ only. This work encouraged community leaders to support the rehabilitation programme and proved helpful in finding employment for those who graduated from the SOS Vocational Training Centre.
Relevant Countries: Sudan.