Thank you for your support over the past seven years.

We completed our assistance activities in South Sudan at the end of January 2015.

During the civil war that lasted for more than 20 years until 2005, refugees were forced to keep themselves hidden, sometimes behind bushes, under inhuman conditions. In 2006, cholera claimed more than 500 lives due to particularly poor water and sanitation conditions.

JEN had been working on assistance for water and sanitation condition improvement for returnees in Central Equatoria State since 2007. This aim was to encourage their re-settlement and the restructuring of the community through ingenious material assistance.

In our assistance approach, we not only installed wells and latrines, but also provided returnees with training such as well rehabilitation/maintenance/inspection, which would allow them to solve water and sanitation issues on their own. Our hygiene education, sometimes including fun puppet plays and songs, involved the community and students to ensure the familiarization of correct knowledge.

Our project had become positively effective; no one in the area which JEN had been working on contracted cholera during the outbreak in South Sudan last year. It greatly showed that our patient effort had been bearing fruit and the local community had been developing.

Finally, we would like to thank the on-site staff who have made a huge contribution to our project with an appreciation of self-reliant support. They have earnestly addressed the issues and withstood any challenge with enthusiasm and effort.

South Sudan is the youngest country in the world. Although we ended our field assistance activities, we believe that our friends in South Sudan will continue to work on building their country with passion.
　   
【Training for well rehabilitation】



【Children watching a puppet play with sparkling eyes】






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Puppet Show in Mugwo Payam 2014

Puppet show is one of the approaches JEN uses in terms of hygiene promotion. It helps to draw audience’s attention such as the students and community members. They can be more interested to listen to the hygiene messages that delivered by the puppet characters. The characters are those people performing the show.

The characters always have their own names, which can be familiar to the audience and are sometimes named funny, like Polondoro (lazy person), Kodomgbe (active and hygienic/clean person), Ganya (respective Chief of the area) and Lokoronyo (unhygienic/dirty person). Since such familiar names are used, the audience are keen to watch what the characters would say.

The puppet show performed respectively in the five (5) primary schools of Mugwo Payam such as Payawa, Alero, Dodo, Longamere and Undukori. The show presents the messages to the students, such as to wash hands before and after eating etc. and to give ORS (oral rehydration salts/solution) to a person suffering from diarrhoea

[The puppetry show performance at Dodo primary school. ]



[The show performed at Loggo primary school (Archive. in different Payam).]



Puppet dolls always surprise people. When it is the first time for the students and community members to see the puppet dolls, they fear and tend to run away (Even the adults!). Hence, before we perform the show, the use of the puppet dolls has to be well-explained to the audience and we need to encourage them to come to the show.

Puppetry show makes the hygiene messages unforgettable to the audience because it can be great entertainment for those living in villages where there is little entertainment, otherwise. Therefore, the students always talk about it at home with their parents after participating in the show.

This activity is interesting and effective, which can easily change the community behaviours from bad hygiene practices to good hygiene practices. In fact, it is observed that community members have begun to make a local hand washing facility and use it regularly. And even they started to build their own latrines and defecate in it. 

Written by: Hygiene Promoter, Bejur Paul Anthony



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Traffic lights in Juba

Juba is the capital and largest city of the Republic of South Sudan. It also serves as the capital of Central Equatoria, one of the ten states of South Sudan. The city is situated on the White Nile and functions as the seat and metropolis of Juba County.

With the increase of vehicles and Boda Boda (Motorcycle used as transportation means in South Sudan) has resulted to increase in number of accidents in the capital City Juba especially among Boda Boda riders.

Above is a photo of a Boda Boda (motorcycle) and its rider carrying passengers (a mother and her daughter)[source: http://williamkituuka.blogspot.com/2010/05/no-body-is-safe-with-commercial-motor.html]

And in a step forward to help organize the movements of motorcycles and vehicles in the town, the Juba City Council have put an effort to install traffic lights on the city’s main roads. This measure came up around mid-October, 2014 for its installation and was actually installed the following month.

Above is how the traffic lights appear after it has been installed. [source: http://eyeradio.org/juba-city-council-launches-traffic-light-capital/]

Its colors are actually matching the international standard (Red, Yellow and Green). As you may know that there is no reliable power source in South Sudan, these are solar-powered traffic lights which are powered with solar system and batteries. They have been planned to work for 24 hours although initially they were programmed to go off around 9:00 pm and start at 7:00 am.

I think that those traffic lights have now a great impact on reduction of traffic accidents within Juba town. We are no longer unnecessarily stopped by traffic police. The movements are well-organized though it took a little while for 75% of the citizens to get used to and follow the traffic lights right after it was introduced.

To guarantee the safety of those traffic lights, some officers from police and the City Council alike were trained to regularly check those lights and make sure that they are working well. Also buffer zones have been constructed to protect the traffic lights. Whoever knocks them down due to over-speeding or reckless driving, they will be charged with all the costs of buying, transporting and labour for installation of the traffic lights again.    

Emmanuel Kenneth Duku
Administration Officer – JEN South Sudan



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My Work Experience with JEN

I am Diko Thomas Marco. I am a driver working for JEN in South Sudan, at Yei Office. I started working with JEN from 7th August, 2014. First and for most, I was very glad when I received an offer for the position as a driver. As a driver, I facilitate the movement of the staffs to the field every day and I really enjoy driving as my professional. I like working for JEN in South Sudan because JEN operates in my home area Yei where my family is living. Before that, I was working in Juba where life was hard and I was separated from my family.

[From left to right are the driver, Mr. Diko Thomas, the guard, Enock Malish (center) and the mechanic/driver, Mr. Batali Bosco .]



In my time with JEN, I learned many things including WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) activities like washing hands with soap after visiting latrine or before eating anything, learning about pump mechanic activities like repair of bore holes, pump mechanic tools like pipe range, vise, G pipes, connecting rods etc. Below Picture shows such scene. We, the drivers, have also seen several places in which we have never visited before like local primary schools.

[Mr. Batali Bosco, the driver. During pump mechanic practical work on the repair of the bore hole in Otogo Payam and that makes the drivers learn JEN activities in the field. ]



There are the issues/challenges emerging while engaging to duties on driving.  Those include the difficulty of travel due to bad roads especially during rainy season and due to some troublesome bridges to cross, and so on. Those issues would be tackled by sharing and exchanging the information among drivers.

[The driver, Bidali Bosco, in blue t-shirt. This is the nature of the roads we travel during dry or rainy season.]



Written with assistance of other drivers Batali Bosco, Francis Yenki and Bidali Bosco, and compiled by the supervisor, the Logistic Officer, Lujang Robert Stephen.



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My Culture

I am Lemi Peter Joseph, I work for Japan Emergency NGO, South Sudan programme Yei, as a Hygiene promoter.

I am from a very small village located in west of Yei Town of Central Equatoria State and the village is called Tokori named after the tallest mountain in that area.  The people who live in that village are called Pojulu ti Kirikwat/Kowu na Lukudu. “Pojulu ti Kirikwat” means the Pojulu tribe in Kirkwat and “Kowu na Lukudu” means the people who belong to the first Chief of the community.

The most outstanding thing in my culture is the way to honour the dead. If a child died in the household, the whole family would be filled with deep sorrow and the mother/father would remove his/her clothes and attach leaves to his/her body.  They would not eat or bathe till the corpse would be buried. If a partner died, the widower/widow would not bathe and his/her hair would not be shaven for six good months (the custom is called “tereka”) and he/she would only smear his/her body with ash. This implies that he/she adores his/her partner on the first day in 6 months she/he goes to bathe and shave her/his hair. Goats and chicken would be slaughtered and plenty of alcohol locally-brewed (Kwete) by the bereaved family is made for those who would come to share the grief with them who lost a family member. This makes my culture a bit unique from other communities.
However, this practice has faded out due to civilization these days. Likewise, it is no longer seen in the community where I come from. 

The above picture shows how Pojulu ti Kirikwat /Kowu na Lukudu prepare their meals. They use firewood and three ovens for cooking. They prefer cassava flour and cowpeas of favourite food.



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Your Life is in Your Hands

I am a hygiene promoter working for JEN writing my article in Yei municipality, Central Equatoria State of South Sudan. Life basically describes the conduct through which someone lives from the time he or she is born to the time of death. So if you live an irresponsible life, you live short whereas those who live responsible life live long for many years before they die. You may want to choose to live a wonderful adorable life by practicing good personal and environmental hygiene by promoting the following.

(Development of sustainable drainage system, sleep under protected mosquito nets, always drink well purified water, hands washing thoroughly and regularly, maintain short finger nails, remember to brush teeth, take bath, and put on clean clothes regularly, maintained clean all sanitary, sweep the compound around the homes, food should be always kept covered and indoors, if a person shows signs and symptoms of any illness he/she should be taken to the clinic)

The above points are those in which, we, JEN hygiene promoters, explain and promote to a wide range of people including young children in this area.

I suppose that if you want to live a wonderful life, you have to also promote the above-mentioned few aspects which can be achieved by ensuring full responsibility: keeping hands clean is important and young children should be encouraged to understand its significance.

The following two pictures show a pupil of Undukori Primary School washing her hands, while the HCM’ (Hygiene Club Member)s in a group photo displaying their clean hands respectively





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Water

The dawn of the Sudan Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) has raised high expectations among the citizens. This also reduced their spirit of voluntarism and search for self- reliance. This seems to be the result of introduction of salary payment to public servants who deal with general public affairs.  Many people expected that public services could be automatically delivered after the (CPA). They thought that they could get clean water and have a good hospital built etc. Their hopes and expectations are not met to a larger extent and this caused low morale for the citizens and affected their motivation to participation in public affairs.

Before the CPA, people used to have a sense of ownership and communities took lead in all development activities in their communities where nobody received a salary in exchange for such work. However, after the CPA, civil servants work and are paid salaries by the government in exchange for providing public services, while local leaders in the communities are not paid and still provide voluntary community service.

Most of them have lost their spirit of voluntarism and citizens have hoped that the government will provide them with basic public services like schools, clean water, good roads and so forth.

Taking the case of water, I would like to share the status of it available in the community where I live. Water is used in every household in my community and most of the people collect water from unprotected wells, rivers, boreholes, swarms, streams, springs, surface water and rain water. There are several risks related to the handling and using of water from those unprotected water sources. For example, it harbours disease-causing organisms e.g. Bilharzias, Cholera, typhoid etc. and it is a medium through which lifecycle of disease vector uses for breeding e.g. mosquitoes, sand fly etc. 

[show one of the unprotected well in my community where people harvest water from]


Most of the people in my community were affected by decades-long war and they could not have access to education. Most people collect water from the water point, which is directly consumed without any idea if it needs to be treated and how and also even without confirming if the water is safe and clean for use or not. As a result, the majority of my people have suffered from diseases like water-borne diseases such as typhoid, diarrhoea, bilharzias and cholera among the others which have killed many of our children, brothers, sisters, parents, and even grandparents. Most people in my community are ignorant to the safe water chain (process of prevention of water from contamination right from the water source up to the time of consumption). My thanks goes to the organization JEN for coming up with a village transformation program(VTP) which has provided education to my community at a village level to reduce the problem that is likely to be caused by the water we use.

Martin Lokolo Justin



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As a team member of hygiene promotion activity

My name is Bidali Frank. I am a native of Yei River County. I am glad that I am part of this outstanding effort being exerted in the community to inculcate better hygiene behaviors and practices to prevent disease by JEN.
Yei is located in the southern part of South Sudan. It is about 160Km south-west of Juba, the capital of Republic of South Sudan and also that of Central Equatoria State. It is a homeland for the Kakwa people, who are found along the common borders of South Sudan, DR Congo and Uganda. In South Sudan the Kakwa people are found in the two counties of Yei and Morobo.

Yei town, which has in the recent past been promoted into a municipality is one of the rapidly growing towns in South Sudan due to its location and largely because of the hospitable and peace-loving nature of its original inhabitants, the Kakwa people.  It is now one of the most ethnically diverse cities in South Sudan after the national capital, Juba.
It is important to note that as it is characteristic of all post-war communities, the level of education of the people in
Yei is still very low among the metropolitan population and worst among the rural populace.  There is a very high mortality rate from diseases that would be prevented if the people had the knowledge. 

I am very grateful to Japan Emergency NGO (JEN) for coming in to educate the people on the populace of Yei River County on hygiene and sanitation. Within a period of less than 2 years of JEN’s intervention in Yei River County, there  has been a tremendous impact. For instance the cholera outbreak in May 2014 in South Sudan did not kill as many people in Yei as it did in the other affected counties in the country.

I am very much thankful that I take part in this transformation process in villages. Thank to JEN and all its donors. Please do more to save more from death!!

[Bidali Frank (holding the JEN banner on the extreme right in the back row), posing for a group photo with Community Hygiene Club members after a workshop.]







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Pojulu people

I am Lujang Robert Stephen Yatta Lemi. I am a South Sudanese national and a Pojulu by tribe from Lainya County, Central Equatorial State. I was born in a small village called Loka West, 70 miles away from the capital Juba. I would like to talk about my tribe, Pojulu people.

[A pregnant woman, carrying a child, a bucket of water and a bundle of wood ]



The Pojulu ethnic groups are of the savanna lands in the White Nile Valley, in the Equatorial region of South Sudan. They are Nilotic peoples and part of the Karo people — which also includes Bari, Mundari, Kakwa, Kuku, and Nyangwara.
The Pojulu divides into smaller clans of Nyori, Morsak, Goduck, Lobora, Mulusuk, Pirisa, Malari, Mankaro and a few other smaller ones. The population of the Pojulu is estimated to be 950,000 (individuals), of whom 250,000 are women.
The majority of the Pojulu population inhabit in Lainya county of Central Equatorial State. The Pojulu are also found in Juba and Yei counties of the state.

[Thatched roofed house of the Pojulu, in South Sudan.]





Caption:[ Loka West Plantation Teak: the largest teak plantation of my home area.]



The name Pojulu is derived from several sources. The Pojulu can be differentiated in the way all Bari speakers pronounce words, the way all other Bari speakers say their greetings, and the way each group socialize.

The Pojulu people speak the Kutuk na Pojulu language, as other Karo people, but with particular dialectic variation which highlights the difference between the Pojulu among the Karo. This Bari language has some distinct variations linked to people’s daily activities and traditions that have evolved over time from these experiences.

This is a brief story about my culture of my tribe Pojulu.
Thanks,

Lujang Robert.



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My Past Experience in JEN

My name is James Malish a Hygiene promoter working for JEN since July 2009 up to date implementing WASH activities especially Hygiene Education in South Sudan Particularly in Central Equatoria State Counties. Since I was employed by JEN in 2009 as a Hygiene promoter, I have so far carried out Hygiene Promotion in 40 primary schools in Morobo County, 10 in Juba County and 15 in Otogo payam and currently in 5 schools in Mugwo Payam, Yei River County using PHAST (Participatory Hygiene And Sanitation Transformation) approach methodology, training of Water Management Committees and training of primary school teachers on PHAST approach.

The time I spent with JEN South Sudan was a memorable one for me as it was rich in experience-sharing and helped me discover my potentials. I have had so many rich experiences and opportunities that I personally believe will forever shape and influence my professional life while fostering personal growth and development

Working for JEN has propelled me to be able to overcome challenges and develop my career. I learnt extensively about hygiene and sanitation the relevance of WASH sector to state building in terms of development on hygiene promotion of Village transformation behavior, community participation, and sustainable developmental projects in South Sudan. The programme has enhanced my critical thinking and analytical skills as well as improved my professional and ability to work in a multicultural environment.

Working for JEN as Hygiene Promoter was not only an honor and privilege but a lifelong experience that will forever shape my professional life. Therefore, as you read this article, I believe that it will enhance your life and be blessed. I remain James Malish Hygiene Promoter JEN South Sudan.

[Figure above showing pupils of Undukori P/School attending Pre-KAP Survey.]





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My Experience with JEN

My name is Margaret Lindrio James; I am one of the national female staff employed by JEN South Sudan for Yei program since July 2013. I am a Community Mobilizer who mobilizes the community for JEN’s activities.   I love my Job as a community Mobilizer.  I have gained experience in community mobilization and working with communities.

[I am happy to work with JEN]


I mobilized the women group called “TINATE” in Ombasi boma and TINATE means” THANK YOU” in Bari Language.  This group was empowered by JEN to produce soap to be used for hygiene promotion.  As the group was learning how to make soap, I also got the chance to learn through the group and now I have the knowledge and skill for making soap – I can now make soap for myself at home.

I was also involved in implementing the Emergency Response program to the IDPs in Kenyi Payam- Lainya County. I learnt a lot about how to deal with needy people, I also leant how to communicate with needy people and how to be patient. They are always appreciative and this always encourages me to love to work with communities.
A mother was very excited during the distribution of aid items in Loka West boma-Kenyi Payam. She said “Today my children will have a sound sleep!” after when she had received the mosquito net donated by JEN. She was very happy. She said she had had sleepless nights due to mosquito bites.

       
[Today my children will have a sound sleep!”]


Though there were lots of check-points on the road we managed to transport aid items to the distribution sites, this happened simply because we had good communication skills and we were also respecting the authorities.
Personally, I have learnt a lot from JEN, which has enabled me to help the communities and also helped myself. My colleagues are cooperative and we work as a team.



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The color of a ball-point pen

The color of a ball-point pen varies from one country to another.
In Japan, black seems to be the most communally used color when signing or filling out official documents. Some say it is because blue is apt to fade away, and others say there remains a trace of India ink culture in Japan.

In Europe and the US, it is said that blue is often used. This may be because it is easy to tell sentences in blue from those in other colors when copied, or back when typewriters were used, corrections and signatures were in blue.

The backgrounds mentioned above aren’t clear, but the most commonly used color seems to vary.

Take South Sudan, for example.  It comes as a surprise to learn that green pens are  sometimes used to sign documents.
The following picture shows a part of a document with a signature on it. Can you see that the signature on the left is green?

Signatures are not always written in green. According to local JEN staff members, a green pen is used specifically when the person signing the official document is authorized to make the final decision. For example, when JEN exchanged a memorandum with the local government, the government signed and sealed the document in green.

So, why green? In English, the phrase “give the green light” is another way of saying “give permission”. Some of the local staff members say the use of green pens is derived from this situation, or others say it can’t be.

Even something as simple as the color of a ball-point pen varies from country to country.    

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JEN’s vehicle in South Sudan

Large-size four-wheel-drive vehicles, like seen in the picture above, are used in JEN's activities.
JEN uses this type of vehicle, not a standard-sized one, because the roads JEN's vehicle runs on everyday are usually unpaved. Even those that are paved are usually damaged or have potholes.

Even off-road type vehicles like this one often have troubles with the suspension system. JEN brings its vehicle to car maintenance shops for inspection regularly. As a means of transportation, such vehicles are indispensable for JEN's activities, so JEN makes it a point to take the vehicles in for regular inspections so as not to disrupt the schedule of JEN's activities.

The picture above shows the license plate of our vehicle. Do you see the word “NGO” on the plate? Actually, this is the license plate for Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO). A great number of NGOs are working in South Sudan, and many of their vehicles also have NGO license plates like this.

Today's topic is something about vehicles in South Sudan.

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Thank you poster

My name is Emmanuel Kenneth and I am one of the national staff employed by JEN since July 2013 as an Administration Officer based in Juba with frequent travel to the field side.

With time I came to learn about programs activities in Otogo payam in Yei River Nile in Central Equatoria State, looking at the impact of the activities and JEN’s presence in South Sudan I am very proud to be one of the cooperative team, our hygiene promoters are specialized in training selected trainers by the community leaders who afterwards train the community in hygiene awareness as well as in the schools_ and the impact reflected itself alone when the recent cholera outbreak across South Sudan, even in Yei River County, no one from Otogo payam was affected nor Rubeke sub boma.

I am also very glad to see JEN working in the Economic Empowerment Program that supported women empowerment group and soap making group in Ombasi to produce soaps to enhance hygiene promotion and income generation, those bars of soap have also been distributed to the IDP`s in Keny payam when the fight broke out in South Sudan in December 15th, 2013.

JEN`s water point preventive operational and maintenance (POM) program has benefited the community by educating community leaders in sustainability of boreholes while POM mechanics are trained to mechanically maintain and repair borehole installed in the community areas those boreholes provide adequate water to the community.

Through all challenges of insecurity, road accessibility, transport and lack of qualified mechanics JEN`s is still behind the people of South Sudan and working hand in hand with its community members.

Personally I have been trained by the international staff in reporting system and its timeline, security and its importance, finance, and remote management, which has a very big impact on my capacity development and I am very thankful to work with professionals.





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My Cultural Origin

I, Muni Cicilia, write my article about my culture (Kakwa).  The Kakwa are the people who are speak Bari.

By that time they are a group of people who speak one language; they do the same work of mixed farming where they cultivate different type of food crop e.g. sorghums, millet, simsim, cowpeas, groundnuts  and goats rearing. They had their beliefs that they only grow the sorghums, millet for food. And as generally the Bari speakers like paste much so they grow the groundnuts and simsim for paste as their traditional sauce.

By that time they came to realize that they know too many with a lot of deaths in their community, they start to move towards river Nile in central equatorial in Juba. From there they remain as Bari speakers of one community settled near mountain Ladu, and again from that settlement death continued. Because the Bari speakers thought that the continuing deaths were due to that people were staying together in close and are generally fear of death so much, they came to divide themselves from being a Bari speaker to several tribes in central equatorial. For example, others moves to Kajokeji are called kuku and those who move to Yei are the Kakwa where I Muni Cicilia belongs as a residence of Yei River County in a Payam called Mugwo and those remains in Juba are the Bari.

Muni Cicilia

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Nature Jonglei state

As South Sudan has celebrated her third anniversary I am writing a brief article about nature of Jonglei state as it is the largest among the ten states of the Republic of South Sudan, moreover the civil war began in its town Bor in 1983 as a district under administration of Upper Nile when Sudan and South Sudan was one country.

The state covers an area of 1.3 square km consisting of eleven counties.
Jonglei is bordering Ethiopia in the east Kenya in the south

Jonglei state is inhabited by six Nilotic ethnic groups, namely Nuer, Dinka,. The population of Jonglei is 1.2 million (according to the disputed 2008 census results).

The socio-economics of Jonglei state relies mainly on agro-pastoralist and fishing communities. The state has two major seasons known as the dry and wet seasons.
The average annual rainfall during the wet season, usually 7-8 months per year, is 400-1100mm. The communities have strong cultural roots and most of their activities are dominated by traditional practices such as initiations, scars and cattle keeping

For instance, in Nuer community the initiation is done through tattooing and removing of lower teeth for any boy or a girl to be qualified to adulthood, whilst in the Dinka culture, in addition to these practices, the male must kill a bull in order to be promoted from childhood to adulthood.

Emmanuel Kenneth Duku (Administrative officer)



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Monitoring report on the aid distributed to IDPs in Kenyi Payam

In Limbe Boma at the house of Poni an IDP displaced during the 15th December Conflict in Juba, have received the aid items from JEN, and she appreciated JEN for donating the necessary items as in the house the important things is to have a water storage as the bucket and the cooking utensil help her a lot as they ran from Juba out carrying a single. She stated that after the distribution, JEN also gave them hygiene education that is why all the utensils are kept clean and on the dish rack. The basin is bearing JEN logo because she managed her thing very careful.

Laku from Kenyi Boma have received the aid items from JEN. He stated that after the items were  given  immediately, he used them all as JEN can witness the mosquito is erected up to prevent him from mosquito bite as well as malaria, and the jerry can for stoarge of safe  drinking water  is also next to the bed. The cooking utensil are been used by his sister  to cook for him as he is single.

On 2/05/2014 in Limbe Boma, Jackline an IDP whose hushand is a soldier and deployed in the conflict zone of Bor  have received the aid items. During the monitoring, we witness that the cooking utensil been in used and kept clean on a dish rach. As in the picture above, you can see the cup, soupens, and plates donated  are used, and as a result of the hygiene education most of households are maintained the hygiene of the items.

In the house of Keji an IDP in Loka boma received the aid items, and she  shown us the items in side her room where she kept the bucket with a drinking water and the jerry can for fetching water is next to it together with the cooking untensils as it is the way how they arrange or keep the items in the house.As a result of the hygiene promotion received from JEN, it helps her to keep the utensil clean and store in a good place.

In Loka Boma in the house of Angelina, the team experienced the usage of the bucket been kept for stoarge of maize four  in side the house. She stated that the white bucket is for drinking water and the red bucket for the maize flour base on her arrangements. In the above picture, the bamboo with a mosquito net been erected on the bed. She thanks JEN  for the support they rendered to them.

A displaced student from Juba by name Kaku received the aid items from JEN. The team experienced her  using the donated basin for washing  clothes, and the jerry can on her left hand for  fetching water. She said the items help her a lot.

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Kuku culture

My name is Emmanuel Kenneth Duku I work for JEN an Administration Officer, in this article I am writing about my tribe culture. My tribe is called (KUKU) and our land is called Kajo Keji, it is located in the southern part of the country and it has five administrative payam namely (Kangapo 1, Kangapo 2, Lire, Liwolo, Nyepo), the name kajo keji is given to the land of Kuku (Kajo Keji county) after a tribe chief called (kajok – Koji).
Kuku is a part of a larger group called Bari in Central Equatoria State with an approximately number of 542,000.

We speak the same dialogue as Bari with differences in the pronunciation and it’s called KUKU dialogue it can also be written and it has 27 alphabets.

A E I O U Ö – B D G J K L – M N P R S T – W Y ’B ’D Ý Ŋ – NY GB KP 

The tribe main economic falls on agriculture, majority the families depends of farming in the villages and the crops are mainly millet, maize, rice and vegetables, we also care of cattle’s (sheep’s, goats and cows). Other products made are knives and spears used for hunting, drums are also made for preforming songs also gourds, flutes are made.   

There are different types of dance depends on the occasion if there is drought young men of the tribe dance for the rain to come and it comes and people farm and harvest then people also dance to show our happiness and thank to the almighty God. In funerals there is a type of dance too whereby the family of the late dance to show their grief. Kuku also love and write songs they are usually from true stories and animals are widely used to describe characters, as for the kids they normally listen to stories that are told by elders. Today in the village we wear modern cloth, but in the past cloths are made from animals skins and trees fibres and they only used for covering sensitive places in the human body.

As for the beauty women wear earrings made from metal and men make scars in their body as a sign being a man so that women recognise and like you but the scares part of doesn’t apply for females and they are not allowed to do so.  As a followed practice normally men go hunting during the day and women spend most of their time working at farming and other chores, females would come back home earlier than men to start cooking for the kids at home, young boys and girls go get water from the water point, young men are normally though by their fathers and elders how to hunt and ladies are thought by their mother how to cook and tread their husbands.

A person is given highest respect   if he is wealthy having money or animal but generally respect goes to the elders followed by young men and lastly women and kids. Few signs of respect to the elderly people are that they are to handle solving of problems at their houses level and in the community their words are listen to and followed. Marriage processes are a very long process whereby the family goes to another community boma and find a girl with a good background, it used to be ancestry and behaviours but now education is included and when the chosen girl has a bad background then the family will move to another village looking for a better respectful girl with a good background then the family would learn about their behaviours and if the family of the bride agrees then the marriage will officially start, previously a girl has nothing to say if her parents and elders agreed but now there should be an agreement from both sides, dowries are normally paid in form of cash and animals .

In the community most decisions are made by the elders and if there is a conflict and loss of souls then the solution is the elders have to sit down and discuss a better solution and for crimes like murder normally after forgiveness then the person must pay animal such as sheep`s cows and goats sometime a piece of farm which will be given to the family that lost their person, Some of the community rules, among the others, are to give respects one another and to keep privacy each other.



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Urgent Assistance for Internally Displaced People in Kenyi District(Payam) of Lainya County ③

Currently, JEN South Sudan is providing emergency relief in Kenyi District of Lainya County in Central Equatoria. In this article, we would like to introduce our activities with some pictures , this time with a focus on how we distributed emergency relief supplies in Kenyi District subsequently to the article released on April 10 .

(Before distribution)


Support goods, safety delivered to the Limbe community, were unloaded from the truck and then sorted by items, we re-checked their conditions and amount considering that they were carried through rugged roads.

(Distribution)






Households of internally displaced people gathered to the distribution point and handed in their coupon sent by JEN in advance to the community distribution members, and were in turn able to receive supplies such as mosquito nets, plastic sheets, rope, polyethylene containers, buckets, water cleaning agents, basins, soap, nail clipper, kitchen supplies, and kitchen oil.
　

(After distribution)






They brought those goods back to their families. Women in South Sudan can easily carry big, heavy items by putting them on their heads.

(Staff engaged in distribution and their members)



The men wearing dark red polo-shirts with JEN’s logo are the local distribution members we introduced previously. The man on the far left is Robert, a JEN project officer. He has experience providing emergency support in a European NGO and is a specialist in public health. The woman taking this picture is Margaret, the JEN community mobilizer we introduced previously as well.

This project has been operated and supported by JEN’s supporters and Japan Platform (JPF).


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Urgent Assistance for Internally Displaced People in Kenyi District (Payam) of Lainya County ②

Currently, JEN South Sudan is offering emergency relief in Kenyi District of Lainya County in Central Equatoria.  In this article, we would like to introduce our activities in Kenyi District with some pictures, continuing where we left off from the article released on April 3.
Kenyi District is divided in three areas and there are 440 households of internally displaced people in all areas. We distribute water sanitation supplies such as polyethylene containers to draw water, water cleaning agents, and soap. Plastic sheets for shelter and daily necessaries are also provided.
In our previous article, we introduced a process of procuring relief supplies, putting logos on each item and the delivery. In this article, we would like to introduce our sorting process of relief supplies.
　

[Sorting process in front of the warehouse]


Relief supplies carried by the truck passed the pivotal check points by the army, and few hours later we finally arrived at Kenyi District.
The first day of our arrival, we stored the supplies in warehouses in two areas, and headed to the third area without warehouses supervised by the administration. We could not store the supplies in third area, so we started distribution on the day of our arrival.
We carefully checked the amount and conditions of supplies which were stored in the warehouse before distribution.

（The pictures below show the sorting of buckets sand basins to be distributed to internally displaced people）

[Staff engaged in sorting and their members]


In the picture above, the woman on the far left wearing a red hat is a JEN community mobilizer who promotes activities and encourages people in the area.
  The men wearing dark red polo-shirts are local distribution members chosen by the village leader and elders, and they cooperated closely with us in sorting and distributing the goods.

[Finished sorting process]


　
All of the polyethylene containers, water cleaning agents, soap, basins, plastic sheets and rope were sorted for each household and finally the preparation was completed.
This project has been operated and supported by JEN’s supporters and Japan Platform (JPF).



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Urgent Assistance for Internally Displaced People in Kenyi District (Payam) of Lainy County ①

The 440 households of internally displaced people currently live with their host families in Lainya County, a four hours drive from Juba.

JEN has started a project that provides urgently-needed relief supplies and conducts hygiene instruction for those 440 households who were forced to live as refugees.

In particular, we distribute water sanitation supplies such as polyethylene containers to draw water, water cleaning agents, and soap. Plastic sheets for shelter and daily necessaries are also provided.

Before transporting and distributing the supplies, JEN staff first procure urgently-needed goods and check the amount and quality. After this first step, the next step is putting JEN and Japan Platform (JPF), a support member of this project, logo stickers on those goods to be distributed.

The pictures below show what JEN is doing to assist the refugees.   

[Putting JEN and JPF logo stickers on urgently-needed goods before delivering]


[Urgently-needed goods covered by the plastic sheets with sticker]


[Waiting to be delivered]


[Inside the truck]



The goods in the pictures will be distributed to the 440 households of internally-displaced people in Kenyi District (Payam) of Lainya County.



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Traditional initiation ceremony of Pojulu tribe in South Sudan

I am a Hygiene Promoter at JEN. I will be reporting my article on one tribes of south Sudan that is the POJULU tribe of Tijor Payam in Juba County in the North-Eastern direction from the capital city.

The Pojulu Tribe has been divided into Sub-Clans. Most of them are located in LAINYA County while few of them are located in Juba County in the north eastern part of present Juba city in Tijor Payam this tribe borders the YAMGWARA ,MUNDARIES AND THE BARI of Juba. This specific tribe have got a traditional believe in which all youths are supposed to undergo initiation for them to become adults who are entitled and free to socialize, contribute, converse, with the clan elders besides they are entitled to marry a woman after the highest bidder have been confirmed for marriage and only man together with their parent bids for the women hand in marriage.

The initiation ceremony usually involves the youth age ranging from 18th upto 45 years old who moves naked for a period of 90 days (3 months). This group of initiation partakers can do any activity in the community like grazing domestic animals, hunting among other activities like any other member in the community and the only difference is that they move naked and also they don’t sleep inside a house for that stipulated period of time. Only those people who are initiated are entitled for marriage and this has been happening since their ancestors and up-to-date it is continuing in their clans. This was proclaimed by their clan elder below.
   
[Water containers for drinking in Tijor]

[Clan-Elder in Tijor explaining their culture of initiation]

This tribe has got an approximate number of about 1000 to 1500 households within their geographical location. Therefore taking the ratio of population determination in south Sudan which is six members per household it would therefore be estimated to 6000-9000 population of people living in tijor Payam of Juba and those who are involved are the willing youths for instance in 2013 about 98 underwent the initiation process and 3 died 95 completed the initiation process successful and those who dies was as a result of the long period of initiation in which they couldn’t sleep in a house yet naked furthermore on a rainy season but according to their elder he said that those who died were not strong enough to become a real man ready for initiation. According to their elder above, who also proclaimed that due to the civilization that was brought after the secession of South Sudan from the united Sudan has resulted into free movement of the youth from one location to the other that has reduced the number of the youths who usually under goes initiation in their community compared to the period before the secession.

This tribe has got a minimal number of animals (cattle) and others have resorted into rearing goats and it’s through this domestic animal that they use to pay bride price, school fees, and medication especially where the case becomes serious that it has to be taken to juba which is approximately 50 miles(75km) away from their ancestral land. This tribe looks very hostile from the faces of the youth the day I was with their elder discussing about their initiation ceremony. This group of people is in most cases are mistaken to belong to the Mundari tribe because of the fact that they have identification streaks marks on their faces like the Mundari people. Their youths are warriors who are so giant and can fight an enemy mercilessly with spears or sometimes with their bare hands. Even though they looks very hostile but they were harmless to a stranger who is amidst them for the first time this is justified with the fact that their clan elder was able to narrate to me about their tradition.

Thanks for this short article I hope you have enjoyed it.    

Maliamungu M Moses

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Using my experience

My name is Kibo Dominic James, JENs New staff based in yei.

I worked as a driver before with JEN then promoted to the position of Logistics/Administrative assistant.

Am happy to work as logistics/Admin because this has been the post I was holding before joining JEN in August 2013. And am happy because I also worked for Ibis south Sudan program as Logistics Assistant and I hope I will also be able share the experience that I had before with the administration group.

Am so happy that JEN is working in south Sudan particularly in my home town yei.

And now that JEN is implementing WASH project both in schools and in communities I hope this will help most students to practice good hygiene and sanitation practices. And while in the communities the village transformation programme will help most of the community members to practice good hygiene and sanitation practice by using the pit latrine, the rubbish pit for dumping rubbish etc.

And as a support staff I will sure that I support the staffs in program to accomplish their activities successfully and to share ideas with the program team to ensure that work runs on smoothly.

By Kibo Dominic James

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A brief monitoring report: How the tools provided by JEN are being used by the IDPs at the camp.

On 29/01/2014 a woman at the IDP camp using a pick axe donated by JEN to dig a hole to erect poles  a shelter as a rainy season is approaching. In the above picture the handle of the pick axes was removed to ease the process, and later will be fixed. 

On 30/01/2014 the above picture shows the jerry can and the wheel barrow donated by JEN to the IDP. The jerry can have been use to fetch drinking water (from a borehole dug at the camp and a water tanker which comes to the camp) and the wheel barrow has been used to carry the jerry cans, more especially pregnant women transport water from the water source using the wheel barrow.

On 03/02/20114 Dak a IDP resident using the hoe donated by JEN to clean the surrounding of the tree and to create a conducive environment for them to stay.

On 04/02/2014 IDP resident is washing their clothes using the soap produced by the TINATE soap-making group and donated by JEN to the IDP at a time of distribution.

On 31/02/2014 The above picture shows the yellow jerry can donated by JEN with a capacity of 20 litre been used for storing safe drinking water, and a cup is available.

31/01/2014 a lady from the IDP camp using a spade donated by JEN to mix up a soil with water in order to smear the shelter or the hut. After using the tool, the lady will give it back to the Camp leader to store  it.

Report on the distribution of Households items for the IDP’s on 23/01/2014

The compositions of the team for distribution of the household items are as follows;
• Louis Andruga -------------------------- Protection officer – UNHCR.
• Angelo Diuk ---------------------------- Coordinator – CARITAS.
• Robert Mori ----------------------------- Project Officer – JEN.
• Kibo Dominic ---------------------------- Adm/logistics – JEN.
• Celestino Atama ----------------------- Hygiene Promoter – CARITAS.

List of items distributed to the IDP’s:
S/No. Items JEN CARITAS UNHCR Total

1 Jerry Cans 50 0 220 270
2. Buckets 50 50 214 100
3. Washing Soaps 500 100 20 620 half bars.
4. Blanket 0 50 226 276
5. Sleeping mat 0 50 226 276
6. Mosquito nets 0 0 276 276
7. Kitchen sets 0 0 138 138
Total 600 250 1270 1956
                                                                                                                           
       


The above pics show the plastics buckets donated by JEN and ready to be distributed, and the IDP’s committees were well organized to support the humanitarian team in the distribution of the materials.

                                                                        


The pics above show the soap produced locally by Tinate group in Yei County whom they were trained by JEN to carry out the soap production for promotion of hand washing.  In the soap distribution, a bar of soap is divided into two (2) half in order to cover all the IDP’s which is 620 individuals within the camp.  A member of the IDP’s thank the organizations for the provision of soap for washing clothes, dishes as well as bathing, and she appreciated the half bar per person than having nothing. You can see the IDP’s committee members are dividing a bar of soap to a half bar.
                                                                                           
                         


The above pics show a family size of 3 to 7 have received the 20 litres jerry cans and a bucket with a lid donated by JEN,and   the cluster members  agreed that small family size ranging from 1 to 2 will received a 10 litres jerry cans and a small bucket donated by UNHCR.  A member of the family stated that the bucket with lid will be a storage for drinking water and the jerry will be for fetching water.
                                 


The above pics was taken during the distribution and it show that there is high need of  jerry can as they  took it immediately   to fetch water that was brought by UNHCR. The IDP’S appreciated JEN, UNHCR and CARITAS for the support rendered to them as the jerry can are inadequate for them to fetch water more especially the larger family  size, but now there are happy to receive more jerry cans, so that one will be for fetching water and the other for  storage.
Conclusion;
The distribution was carried out successfully without any complained from the IDP’s. The plastic sheets will be distributed base on the demand of the IDP’s as well as a new comer to the camp.  The criteria to give are to have a structure of a tukol, Otherwise the plastics sheets will still be in the warehouse of UNHCR. Finally they appreciated JEN, UNHCR and Caritas for the support, and they will make sure the materials given to them are used effectively more especially the digging tools to ensure clean environment and to promote hygiene.




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Updates on distribution of items to IDP’s:

The meeting for the distribution of the items to the IDP’s was held, and the agenda was to identify all the materials donated by different agencies while looking at the total number of the IDP’s, and secondly the method of distributions of the items. The total number of the IDP’s have increase to 620 individuals i.e. 157 house hold within the IDP’s camp.
During the meeting, all the agencies agreed that the distribution will be carried out by the IDP’s committee’s and any organization will monitor, observed and guide the committee technically during the distribution. 

【Consultative meeting with humanitarian agencies in UNHCR compound.】

Jerry Cans;
The total number of 50 jerry cans donated by JEN is inadequate to the IDP’s, but during the meeting UNHCR have promised to top up a number of 214 jerry cans(10litres) to make a total of  264 to covered all  the number of the  IDP’s, and also six jerry cans was donated for the hand washing facility.
The team accorded that the 20litres jerry cans donated by JEN will be given to large families while the 10litres donated by UNHCR to individuals and small size families.

Buckets with lids:
Regarding buckets, JEN donated 50, Caritas donated 50 and UNHCR provided 57 which come to a total of 157, and the total number of the house hold is 157 as it was updated by UNHCR.  The distribution of the buckets will also depend on the size of the family, and will be given out tomorrow on 23/01/2014.

Soap :
JEN provided 10 cartoons, Caritas donated 2 cartoons  Which make a total of 12 cartoon by 25 bars will be 300 bars of soap, and the team accorded to distribute a half bar of soap per  individual.

Plastic sheets:
The entire cluster member accorded that the plastics sheets will be kept in UNHCR Warehouse because the IDP’s have adequate plastic sheets at the moment, or unless there are new IDP’s registered or a structure of the bathing shelter or a toilet erected then the plastic sheets will be given to them.

Materials distributed on 22/01/2014:
The cluster members together with JEN staff distributed   materials such as 10 hoes, 10 spades, 10 axes, 5 bundles of bamboo, and 10 wheel borrows, and all the tools are for communal use not for individuals and can be managed by the committee, and the tools are returnable to JEN after the IDP’S disperse.

Other materials:
The remaining materials will be distributed tomorrow after UNHCR have done the top up, and the IDP’s were inform of the distribution date 23/01/2014 at 10:00 a.m.

【The team held a brief meeting with the IDP’s  committee’s within the camp.】

See the picture below during donating the communal items to the IDP’s.

【Peter Kual a committee member within the camp registering the items donated.】






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Updates on the materials for emergency response to the IDP’s.

The distribution of the materials is expected to be carries out today in the IDP’s compound but unfortunately there is a team within the IDP’s camp distributing food and the hygiene education team were on ground with their activities. It had hindered the sensitization of the committee among the Internal Displace People.
In consultation with ACROSS, UNHCR and RRC together with JEN, we agreed that on 22/01/2014 there will be a meeting in UNHCR compound at 10:00 a.m to look at the materials (quantity) donated by CARITAS and JEN and distribution will immediately take place after the meeting.
During consultation with ACROSS, There are organized committees of different sectors within the Inter Displace People. e.g A committee for NFI’s, a committee for Security etc. JEN will be working closely with the committee’s to ensure the distributions of the materials are carried out effectively.
The materials donated by JEN were taken to UNCHR warehouse and will be distributed tomorrow. The materials are verified by Yei Relief Rehabilitation Commission, County Water Department and UNHCR.
Below is the picture of the materials loaded in the truck and taken to UNHCR warehouse;

Conclusion;
The actual distribution will be carried out tomorrow together with the materials Caritas have donated to the IDP’s and it is kept in the UNHCR warehouse.

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[Breaking News] Emergency assistance for IDPs in South Sudan

JEN dispatch its expert team to the UN compound in South Sudan where IDPs are evacuating.

Detail will be posted soon.

More information about JEN's humanitarian assistance for people in South Sudan, click  here

More updates from the field, click here

Thank you for supporting JEN's assistance.

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Sustainability of school hygiene education in Otogo Payam primary schools

The sustainability of school hygiene education in this current project,  supported by JPF that is implemented in Otogo Payam of Yei River County, lies in the hands of the school administration and the trained Hygiene Teachers through involvement of the school hygiene club members.

I Mr. Bejur Paul Anthony interviewed the Hygiene teacher of Yembe Primary school, Mr. Joseph Juma Ginya as to how they will keep on implementing and sustaining the hygiene education program in their school.

He stated that, for school hygiene education to last longer in their school, they have decided to introduce some income generating activities like agricultural activities such as growing of DURA (sorghum), which in turn will generate some little income that will help them to be able to buy some required hygiene materials such as brushes, basins, soap to mention but a few.

Integration of hygiene education to other activities carried out in the school like agricultural activities helps the students to start developing a spirit being able to do things for themselves not always seeking for external support from NGOs.




With the help of the school hygiene club, it’s worth easy for us to supervise the hygiene education and some of the mentioned agricultural activities since they are the current and immediate supervisors of the entire school.

With the above mentioned,  I  Bejur Paul Anthony JEN Hygiene Promoter, will continue to encourage the school administration of Yembe Primary school to go ahead with the initiative of cultivation and grow both cereals and vegetables, which when they sell, they will be able to support themselves in one way or the other.

Written by　Bejur Paul Anthony
Hygiene Promoter
Yei Project

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HYGIENE PROMOTION IN RELATION TO COMMUNITY CONSENSUS BUILDING FOR SUSTAINABLE HEALTH

I am Lemi Peter Joseph a WASH hygiene promoter for JEN running the Village Transformation Programme (VTP) project in the three villages, Balamuke, Yembe, and Papara respectively of Abegi sub-boma, Wotogo boma, Otogo Payam of Yei River County, where JEN is currently working in.

Sustainable health is the result of consensus building, a common belief exists that, Sanitation and Personal hygiene practices remain together, therefore, sustainable health of the community is not made at the council table or by treaties but only in hygiene and sanitation promotion.

Hygiene and sanitation promotion is a health promotion whose goal is to transform and change behavior associated with poor hygiene and sanitation practices. The ultimate purpose is to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with WASH related diseases and improves the health care status of the three villages of Abegi sub-boma, however, this sustainable health promotion transformation in Abegi has attracted 99 Voluntary Community hygiene promoters and three hygiene clubs in their respective villages comprises of 45 members in general. Therefore, with these JEN is doing great for the vigilant transformation in these villages.

Using community resources

MARTIN LOKOLO JUSTIN is JEN economic empowerment assistant Yei central e equatorial state South Sudan he is 29 years old married and has three children his main tasks are to be responsible for the day to day implementation of JENs empowerment project in Yei county and develop grass roots training, packaging and marketing programs on soap making.



Examining resources limitations: Most organization works within limited resources and budget and the project are subjected to similar constrains. Anew project may entail an extravagant use of resources, so one will need to make sure that they really would be available. But the success of the project depends on the level of the resources that is likely to be locally available.

Looking in to using existing processes or resources: In order to reduce project time –scale, it is important to look at what is currently exists for example other department may have plan for change in an associated area that one could capitalize on, product part that would avoid the need to invent something new. It is important to consider these issues and reuse as much as possible. It is rarely a good idea to start from scratch, no matter how appealing that may seem

The photo above showing the Tinate Ombasi soap making group soap products. Analyzing what resources the group will need and whether they can afford them in absence of JEN looking at the resources the group need for the soap making most of them are locally available they can get within the community and others that are not locally manufactured can be found in the market this means the group will be self-reliant no only that the group was given a lot of trainings.



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Improving wash sustainability of the existing facilities in Yei River County

Basic sanitation, good hygiene practices and a reliable supply of drinking water are fundamental for a healthy, productive and dignified life. The promotion of sanitation and hygiene is essential in bringing about sustained improved behavioral change particularly in the villages where indiscriminate defecation is prevalent. The lack of a water supply especially safe water means that women have to spend hours fetching water rather than using their time more effectively, while poor sanitation facilities in other words mean that girls must miss days from school when struggling to cope with menstruation with cleanliness and dignity.

WASH facilities should encourage hygienic behavior in both the communities, schools and social places such as markets, etc. Hygienic behavior, such as using a toilet and washing hands comprises several small steps and necessary preparations are paramount to achieve good hygienic behaviors. Therefore, facilities must be available in schools, communities and social places in sufficient capacity center sized appropriately and simple to use, and have water and soap available at all times for hand washing as well as anal cleansing.

In Yei River County, majority of the villages does not have a standalone momentum for the facilities that were provided to them by NGOs, Government and private companies. Communities beliefs on the continual servicing of the facilities by the NGOs, Government and the private companies who have provided them. This has drastically affected the functionality of these facilities. For facilities wholly provided by the communities, they have upper interest to ensure that it’s functional.

The community of Rubeke has not taken the ownership of this borehole since they are not able to sustain the water point. Community members drink water from unprotected wells with the believe that “clear water≡safe water.
Most communities in Yei River County could not have access to WASH facilities and could not sustain the facilities provided to them because of: donor dependency/demand-driven, no plans for communities contributing funds, no interest from community members doing voluntary work.

WASH facilities should prevent harm and promote care of the environment. In order to sustain the existing facilities in Yei River County, communities should be willing to work voluntarily, remove the tendency of donor dependency/demand-driven, community contributions especially funds should be well managed, community by-laws need to be established to govern the maintenance and use of the existing facilities such as water points, public latrines, hand washing facilities etc and above all community leaders need to sensitize its members on community ownership.

[Unfunctional hand washing facility in Keijoin Ombasi Boma Otogo Payam]



[Showing a broken down borehole in Wotogo Boma Otogo Payam]



By Bejur Noel Modi



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Improve WASH in Otogo Payam Yei County

I am Kwame Emmanuel, JEN WASH Program Project officer; I joined JEN in July 2013 to manage the WASH program of Yei.

[Kwame]


I have more than 15 years’ experience in the WASH sector, I am water resources specialties, I worked for the Government of South Sudan in Urban water cooperation since 1985, then join the INGOs in Sudan, I departed to Sudan from Juba since 1992 because of insecurity while their I join the INGOs starting from MFS Holland, Goal Ireland, IRC, CARE International in Sudan, ACF France providing WASH support to the international Displaced Southern in the camps around Khartoum, later I Joined joined UNICEF in South Sudan Wau, then CHF International in Juba until July 2013 I employed by JEN.

In all these years I was involved in management of WASH different sectors of activities for the IDPs.

Working for JEN in the WASH sector will help me improve my experience, develop and put into action and practice that knowledge I gain from other NGOs.

I will help the community of Otogo Payam Yei County in gain access to good hygiene, safe drinking water, sanitation and improve school environment in terms of hygiene practices and develop a strong hygiene clubs to manage the hygiene of the schools even at community level, I will also strengthen community management of water sources in terms of sustainability and cost sharing.

One of the important aspects also supporting the Government sector in terms of capacity building for rural water staff in Yei County by helping the sector to develop activity mapping for WASH actors in Yei County to avoid duplication, water quality monitoring and in conducting WASH assessment as well data entry and analysis.

In the other view of the program, the community hygiene situation in Otogo Payam villages needs support in terms of improvement in hygiene practices, environmental sanitation by developing hygiene monitoring tools to monitor the situation improvement as well awareness with the involvement of the community especially community participation in management of WASH facilities as well define better hygiene practices with the community in each location. 

To improve WASH in the community needs better understanding of the community behaviours and practices of handling WASH facilities, which will been address and seen in the coming months.
Thanks


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Following Their Footsteps - Part II ]

As I mentioned in Part I of the same title(2010 FEB and MAR), the first ones of the family to flee their homes away were my dad and my uncle. That happened because of the miserable livelihood at home. The exile was economically much better than at home and both brothers managed to bring their families and extended relatives, whereby they settled and lived comfortably until the deportation reintegrated them back home following the independence of Eritrea and the conflict between Eritrea and Ethiopia.

The impact of the conflict and deadly battle between the two countries affected the livelihood of people to resume the exile legally or illegally. Thanks to JEN, I was the first from the Meles family to legally flee my country because of the employment with JEN South Sudan. As an Eritrean culture and more specifically lesson learned from my father, I had to take care of my brothers and sisters back at home, as well. This lasted for about two years but the burden to me was too much and I had to consider of bringing the skilled and physically abled ones here to Juba.

Eventually, with my assistance of their transport expenses, ten members of Meles family followed me to Juba, managed to help themselves and their respective families and parents at home and hence enabled me to concentrate on my own family, only. My family consists of myself, my  wife and three children,  which are running their own businesses and this situation allowed me to be responsible for my wife and myself only. So, it is this favourable condition which contributed to my final decision to go back home and enjoy the rest of my life with my beloved wife. This age of mine, 60, is also the right time to retire and hope God blesses me that I will never regret of my decision.

But this achievement could have never been materialized without JEN and its kind and polite Japanese staff, whom I can never forget in my life. Because likewise its projects, JEN has made my family and extended relatives SELF_RELIANT. It has helped me to achieve my mission and vision and hence let me use this opportunity to award this credit to JEN and its management in deferent level, not forgetting those who have terminated JEN for different reasons. Let me use this opportunity also to apologize if I have intentionally or unintentionally offended any of them in my last 11 years of employment with JEN. 

Haileselasse Meles

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Greetings from the newly appointed staff

Hello, my name is Tetsuro Kimura and I have been newly appointed to the post in the South Sudan office. JEN has two offices in South Sudan – one in the capital city of Juba, and the other at the project site, Yei. I am working at the office in Juba, and I am in charge of general affairs and accounting.

It is October, and the rainy season seems to be coming to an end. There are short downpours twice a day or so, but the heat and clear skies that follow these downpours reminds me that I am actually in Africa.

Looking at the city, there are many constructions of houses, hotels, and offices. However, some of the roads are not paved with concrete, electricity depends on power generators, and as for running water, each building draws its own ground water. In South Sudan, which has recently gained its independence, even the capital doesn’t have essential utilities.

I have been in charge of the support project in the Tohoku Ishinomaki office for the past 2 years. While taking part in the Tohoku project I felt strongly how so many people are assisting us.

I only came to South Sudan recently, but I hope to do my best with the activities here.

[Myself on the left and two other staff members, outside the office/lodging area]



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The Soap Making Group Held an Event to Promote Sanitation

The “Tinate” group (Tinate: “Thank you” in a local South Sudanese language) consisting of 20 female and 5 male stags made soaps in the Ombasi village in Yei distrct, Otogo Payam.

The purpose of making soaps is to improve the health conditions by improving public sanitation levels though the practices such as washing hands with soap, keeping the body clean, and washing clothing using soap.

During the training, a trial piece of soap was made out of local resources. The soap was then cut into small pieces and distributed to the villagers so they could use them and give feedback.

[The prototype soap made during the training]



Because the prototype was a success, the group held an event to teach the importance of sanitation, using the soap as a giveaway gift for those who attended. To make sure the event would leave a strong impact, the event was for around 2 hours so the villagers wouldn’t get too bored, and it took place during the Saturday market held every week at　 Ombasi village.

[Locals gathered at the market to watch the event]


The “Tinate” group marched around the market singing the sanitation song they composed, and the event started with the chief’s speech.

[The “Tinate” group members marching]


There were songs, dances, and a play using the soap. The event ended with a sanitation quiz that the audience could participate in.

[The sanitation quiz taking place]


Previously, JEN had conducted sanitation training for elementary school teachers in the 15 public schools in the district. A teacher who had participated in the training was at the market during the event, and she joined in and sang the sanitation song together with the group. (The woman with the green earrings)




【JEN is now accepting donations. Your help would be very much appreciated.DONATE here】

Introduction of my job as person in charge of South Sudan

Nice to meet you. I am Yoko Shimbo and I am in charge of South Sudan in Tokyo headquarters. I started working at JEN this May and four months have passed.

South Sudan, the region I am in charge of, JEN started water sanitary business seven years ago. My main job is to write up the reports about the previous projects of the last year, deal with the external matters and do the paperwork. I would like to know the situation as much as possible, even if I am far away by communicating with local people and by reading the reports they send me periodically.

One of the projects we are doing is making soaps and help the local people understand the importance of washing hands. I received the photos of soaps they made as trial models the other day. They are very pretty and well-made.

I placed more expectations on their future activity.

[Soap-making]


[Finished soap]


I had joined some of JEN events since I worked JEN such as Supporters Club, Chabo Run, Symposium I am willing to join the events actively.

[I participated in the Chabo Run]


There are many things I don’t understand. However, I will try my best to provide the local people in South Sudan withe the tools they need to be independent.

【JEN is now accepting donations. Your help would be very much appreciated.
DONATE here】

Practical sessions to repair a borehole

JEN is carrying out a strengthening of capacity program in Yei County.  Although Yei is perceived to be one of the counties with huge coverage and minimal needs, an assessment conducted in April/May June 2013 revealed huge gaps in the WASH sector. 
JEN through funding from Japan Platform and the generosity of the people of Japan embarked on a two year project 2013/14  and hopefully 2014/15 in order to strengthen communities capacities in addressing WASH issues.  JEN is working closely with the Department of Rural Water and Sanitation of Yei County.



Recently  formerly trained pump mechanics ( by other organisations) attended a 10 day training on preventive operation and maintenance for boreholes.
During one of their practical sessions to repair a borehole that broke down in one of the schools, I got a chance to chat with the Deputy Head Teacher of Kajiko Primary School in Ombasi Boma, Yei County.




Anthony Lubari, the Deputy Head teacher for this school is 43 years old, and he is married with 5 children.  He has been working in Kajiko Primary School since the year 2009.  He gave us a little bit of history on the borehole that was repaired. The borehole was drilled in 2009 by DANIDA to serve the primary school and the surrounding community members.  It was the only borehole at the time serving over 1000 people.
However, there was no committee that was formed to take the management of the water scheme.  Later on the community mobilized themselves and nominated 11 members as a water user committee.  These 11 members did not receive any training and did not understand their roles and responsibilities very well. There were no trained pump mechanics either and soon things started going the wrong direction.  No one seemed to execute any responsibility and two years down the line, the borehole broke down.

The borehole has remained non-functional since 2011 when it broke down.  Attempts for community members to report to payam administrators fell on deaf ears.  Persons who attempted to rectify it worsened the situation as they were neither skilled nor knowledgeable.

Pupils from the school who are more than 400 at the time resulted to fetching water for a nearby stream.  The water is used for drinking, cooking and all other water uses.  Though the stream is an all season and never dries up, the water is not safe for consumption since children did not wait for it to be boiled.  ‘  A lot of children suffer from diarrhea and end up skipping classes ‘ said Anthony.

During the repair – practical sessions by POM trainees, there was an awful smell that came out of the borehole with some worms.  The facilitator Ms Cecilia Mimi, ( a water technician with Department of Rural Water and Sanitation) emphasized on the need to chlorinate the borehole prior to opening it up for public use.

Anthony was very grateful, he said:  ‘ I am indeed happy that JEN has organized to have this borehole repaired. I am going to work with the community and the school committee to ensure that from now hence forth the borehole is well taken care of’. 

JEN’s overall objective in working with communities of YEI is to achieve community resilience and self-reliance.



【JEN is now accepting donations. Your help would be very much appreciated.
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Interview with JEN’s Driver

Unlike Japanese roads, there are many undeveloped roads in South Sudan. Just being able to drive is not enough; for example, drivers need to know how to get their car out when it’s stuck in mud. In order to get their customers safely to their destination, it’s very important to do regular auto maintenance and constantly pay attention to the political climate in the area.

We interviewed our driver about his thoughts on his job.

Interviewee: Mr. Mike Lubajo

JEN: What is challenging about your job?
Mike Lubajo: I constantly have to be alert when I drive, especially out in the fields, because the road conditions are so bad. Sometimes there is not road, in which case I need to imagine the lanes and drive accordingly. If I don’t pay attention and drive through puddles, I could get stuck in a pothole.

Not all areas are safe. Even if it’s not in an area with a JEN project site, I still get really nervous and upset when I hear about a vehicle getting robbed.  But I am careful and do what is good and right, so I believe God is always watching over us.

JEN: What motivates you?
Lubajo: I am always able to enjoy my job because of the excellent teamwork between my coworkers and I. I see everyone as my family. We have meetings together with other drivers and share problems. We’re all very happy when these problems are resolved.



【JEN is now accepting donations. Your help would be very much appreciated.
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Introducing new staff (part2)

My name is Emmanuel Kenneth Duku, JEN`s new staff based in Juba.



I will be working as an Administrative Officer, I before worked for other organization in the Republic of Sudan and South Sudan where I came to have a clear understanding of humanitarian work.

I hope my experience and skills will contribute to the program success and meet everyone expectations.

When I first started I realised how lucky I am to join a strong staff team in JEN that’s puts respect, team work and sharing ahead to facilitate smooth implementations of the projects.

I am very grateful that JEN is working in South Sudan especially in my hometown  Kajo -Keji and Yei

Implementing wash project in schools will enable the students to have access to adequate and safe water as well constructing latrines will promote the student hygiene.

As a support staff I will make sure to support all program staff in in delivering and accomplishing their duties.

I will also take this opportunity to learn Japanese culture and language as well
One of my hobbies is reading novels

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Introducing new staff

My name is Margaret Lindrio James, a new staff for JEN based in Yei.}



I am going to work as a community mobilizer. Am a teacher by profession and I hope my experience will help the organisation a lot in implementing the WASH project in schools and also empowering women in Yei county.  Most schools in southern Sudan still have inadequate good hygiene practices, therefore I would do my best to mobilise the teachers and make sure they are trained on how the school pupils can have good hygiene practices.

I will also do my best to participate in the training of teachers since it has been in the line of my profession.

I will ensure that women in Yei County are empowered so that they can earn their living by doing some income generating activities using as much as possible the available local material that can bring them income.

I will also help in the building the capacity of the existing hygiene promoters so that they can teach the people in the villages on good hygiene practices and bring chance in South Sudan. 

Targeting the teachers will do a lot more because they will target a big population.

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Employment in the Republic of South Sudan

In the Juba office, we have begun the hiring process for our upcoming projects.

In the Republic of South Sudan, NGOs requires the approval of the local department of labor whenever it runs recruitment ads. If the labor authority deems the terms of employment to be too strict, NGOs are sometimes required to revise the content of their advertisements.

Once approved, the advertisements for recruitment are placed on a bulletin board of the United Nations and the NGOs wait for applicant CVs. In the meanwhile, they work with the department of labor and the reconstruction agency, and also with the leaders in Yei Country, where JEN is centered in the region, to determine how to proceed with the interviews. After interviews are scheduled, the NGOs then invite the selected applicants and staff of the reconstruction agency and the department of labor and move on to tests and interviews.

By cooperating with governmental agencies, the NGOs are able to proceed with the recruitment in a fair and effective manner. This partnership allows the NGOs to check if the applicants are legal citizens of the Republic of South Sudan by conducting a background check, including personal identification and family background, in order to prevent individuals from neighboring countries from entering and working illegally in Sudan. Sometimes people from other countries come in with forged Republic of South Sudanese IDs, but it is very difficult for non-Sudanese NGO staffs to tell them apart. For this reason, having the governmental agencies’ cooperation is very helpful for us here at JEN.

To proceed with recruitment in the Republic of South Sudan, it is important not only to find competent workers but also to maintain a good balance of tribes and hometowns and also prevent gender discrimination.

The Republic of South Sudan celebrated its second independence day on July 9th, 2013. The  ambitious new JEN staff members are moving forward to help the Republic of South Sudan, the newest country in the world, be a better country.
　　



【JEN is now accepting donations. Your help would be very much appreciated.

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Safe sanitation for Central Equatoria, South sudan schools

JEN has had an operational programme team working in South Sudan since 2007. Whilst the locations of projects, offices, and focuses of our work have changed and developed through that time, one thing has remained constant: JEN’s commitment to working with and standing alongside the South Sudanese people.



I have had the privilege of working in South Sudan for just less than four years. For me personally, it is a country that ‘gets under your skin’, that you are unable to shake off even when you are outside. From my very first arrival in South Sudan, everything I saw and encountered were equal to the preconceptions that I always heard about it and its people. South Sudan is a country rich in culture and heritage. It is a country of poetry and song, in its hay-day proud to be at the forefront of intellectual thought. It is a country of strength. In South Sudan, I have met some of the strongest people I’ve ever known – women who exude strength and confidence, hard won in difficult circumstances.

However South Sudan is also a country with huge needs. For example, just 1 in 26 South Sudanese have access to a pit latrine. My own experience in other parts of this Country highlighted similar needs in terms of hygiene practice and water supply – A recent assessment carried out in Yei County revealed that although there are schools that have access to boreholes and sanitation facilities, there still is a high occurrence of children suffering with Diarrhoea hence studying is constantly interrupted.
In the next few weeks, JEN will be looking at establishing a team that can work in building communities confidence in addressing hygiene issues. 



Water, sanitation and hygiene are issues that face communities across South Sudan, both rural and urban areas.  Yet Yei is perceived to be a community of more enlightened and exposed people yet still struggling with hygiene issues.  JEN seeks to address some of these serious issues and to educate and empower the community members, teachers and students to come up with their own solutions to the issues that can be sustainable and long-lasting. 







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Latrine construction in Juba County

Latrine construction, one of the activities of “School and community water sanitary improvementproject of Central Equatoria” with the cooperation of supporters and Japan Platform has been completed.

JEN constructed 80 children’s latrines in 13 primary schools in Juba County.
The structure of the latrines is approved by the Education Ministry in South Sudan. The number of latrines for one school is decided by the number of students. One latrine for every 50 boy students and every 30 girl students were constructed.



To construct latrines successfully, there were a lot of steps and sometimes we faced problems. Starting with the selection of constructors by bidding and checking the soil, setting the plan with constructors, checking the progress going smoothly as planned and rescheduling the plan if there are any changes to the progress.




JEN not only constructed latrines but also established water latrine management committees and held workshops for residents o  the significance of the committee and maintenance management in order to maintain the latrines sustainably on their own.

Finally, at the end of May, the latrines were completed. There was a final check by JEN engineers and the Education Ministry engineers and confirmed that the construction was completed successfully and acknowledged the completion of the construction by the Education Ministry. With the beginning of the school year, latrines are all set for children to use.

About telecommunication in South Sudan

This time, we deliver a blog on the telecommunication in South Sudan. All telephones are wireless in this country, as telephone line has yet to be introduced in the country. There is a landline in the office, but it is actually portable.

“The landline (?) in JEN office in Juba"

But the main stream mode of communication is by mobile phones. Wherther it is for a company or an individual, all contacts are usually mobile phones. Telephone network Towers have been built everywhere by about four mobile phone providers, making the coverage bigger little by little, but in rural areas, it often goes out of service.

“Here are the mobile phones of our staff.”



We need to have contracts with several mobile phone providers because different towns and villages are covered by different provider. But this does not mean we have to carry a lot of mobile phones, only SIM card will do. Insert this card of a particular provider into the mobile, and telephone function becomes available.

“Tiny, tiny SIM card.”



Some mobiles are very convenient, as they can accommodate several SIM cards in one handset. This makes two or three providers available by one mobile phone, a very unthinkable system for Japanese.

“Inside of a mobile phone that can accommodate two SIM cards.”



Alternative communication method to mobile phone is a satellite phone. JEN makes its staff take satellite phones with them and prepare for emergency. But they don’t catch satellite electric wave when they are in pockets or bags, so they need to carry them carefully in order for them to be reachable anytime.

“Rather large satellite phone"



The Internet was also via satellite, so our office installed a satellite antenna to use Internet. But when it rains heavily, it would sometimes become unavailable.

“The satellite antenna in the office.”



Recently WiMAX service has begun in Juba, which connects the provider and individuals with ground wave. Individual PC can’t receive it yet, so each home or office installs the WiMAX transceiver and connect it to LAN. Compared to satellite Internet, this is cheaper and stable but when providers have problems it goes off line.

“WiMAX transceiver installed near water tank of the office.”



The device connected to the PC as shown in the photo, is another way to connect to the Internet but the speed it very slow because it uses mobile telephone network. For all the inconvenience it has, we need to rely on this small device when the ground wave is off due to any technical problems.

“Internet device”



We make full use of all these communication devices as stated above, continue to drive forward for good support in South Sudan. Thank you.

Japan Platform (JPF) Visits Ngangala Elementary School

The project that started with the help of JPF and all of our supporters will be finally coming to end this May. The JPF Monitoring Team made a trip out to the project site on April 22nd through the 23rd.

On April 22nd, the Team visited Ngangala Elementary School, located about two hours from Juba by car.

First the team started with a puppet show on health education. Unfortunately, the school was temporarily closed due to rain, but when the announcement of the puppet show was made throughout the village, it stopped raining and a crowd, both children and adults, gathered. The children were even changed into their proper school uniforms!

When the puppet show started, everyone was captivated.

There were five main characters in the show.

Backstage, the JEN staff worked hard to make the show a success!

The puppet shows are not only for entertainment, but also a part of the health education component of the project. After the show, we asked the audience to share their thoughts on the puppet show.

After the puppet show, the JPF staff listened to the locals talk about JEN’s projects. They told us that after the puppet show, many of the children went back home saying “Please build toilets for our family too!"

After talking about JEN’s projects, other members of the community who had received training to maintain wells shared how they have been working to maintain the local wells.

Just a bit more work until these toilets are ready to use.

The JPF Monitoring Team visited Morobo County on April 23rd and 24th, making a 14-hour trip on rough roads to oversee the project. We would like to thank them for their visit and efforts.


【JEN is now accepting donations. Your help would be very much appreciated.
DONATE here】

Mango.

In our South Sudan  blogs, this fruit comes up very often.



What is special about the mangoes seen in Central Equatoria State is how big their trees are. One time we were driving to a school asked the villagers for directions, they told us, "Turn right at the second mango tree from here". Everyone here can recognize a mango tree. Our driver correctly recognized the “second mango tree”, and when we turned right as we were told, we did find the school we were looking for.   



The tree is very big, but the fruit that grows on the tree is relatively small- about the size of apples in Japan. People of South Sudan, adults and children alike, use a stick to drop green mangoes before the skin has ripened to red or yellow, and eat them like you would eat apples. For children, it is an easy breakfast or afternoon snack.
It is the season now, and there are many delicious looking mangos growing on the trees.
However, you must be careful sometimes. The branches of the mango trees are actually quite delicate and cannot hold much weight, so it may suddenly fall when it cannot stand the weight of their fruits.



The branch in the picture above is one that actually fell, scraping a JEN staff's shoulder while researching the village market. There was a loud sound as if a lightning struck, and some women nearby screamed in surprise, but the scream soon turned to laughter. As people were laughing, some ran toward the fallen branch, and picked the fruits and started eating them.




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Safe Water for Community, Income for Hand Pump Mechanics

JEN reported the beneficiary of “Lainya Hand Pump Mechanic Association” on 21st March 2013. Last week, JEN had a wrap-up meeting with the Association as a final meeting with them.  Through the meeting, I realized that the Association was deepening their connection with communities having boreholes, and with Rural Water Department, Lainya County. The members are generating income from not only repairing work, but also work of preventive operation and maintenance.



Then, I interviewed one of the members as below.   

“My name is Juma Martine. I am a member of Lainya Hand Pump Mechanic Association. My Boma is Lukurubang under Lainya Payam, Central Equatorial State, South Sudan. I am 30 Years old and married with 5 Children. Before I joined Lainya Hand Pump Mechanic Association, I was a volunteer hand pump Mechanic in Lainya Payam.



As a member of this Association, I am proud to mention that, my skills have been improved through trainings organized by JEN. I was made to know some of the hand pump Mechanics in the County whom I did not know before. I have access to knowledge sharing and information. My services as a hand pump Mechanic is recognized by my Community. Community now gets 24/7 water supply.

I am now able to get support from the Community which enabled me to pay the school fee of my Children and my family demands!!  Life is made easier than previous. Thanks and appreciation to the Japanese people for their greater support to this project and more others in south Sudan.”

JEN is to complete its support to the Association in May. However, I believe the association can continue long and people in Lainya can continuously drink the safe water.

Well Repair Training Course Completed

In South Sudan, many people rely on water from wells. However, quite a few wells remain damaged.

In many developing countries, fetching water from wells is considered work for women and children. Plastic containers holding about 20 liters, called “jerry cans”, are used to carry drinking water. They are carried by hand or on one's head, one or two at a time, which amounts to 20 to 40 kilograms.



When women and children go to fetch water with their sisters and friends, a crowd of yellow and white jerry cans forms around the well in no time, and they will have to wait to take turns. While children in junior high and the upper grades of elementary school work the hand pump at a steady rhythm, younger children play with it, hanging from it with all their weight. For children with few means of entertainment, the water well seems to serve as a good playground.





A properly installed pump moves easily, but when parts wear down or children keep hanging from it and put it under unusual pressure, it becomes harder to work, and could cause damage. Once a well breaks down, it is often abandoned and unrepaired, usually because there are no spare parts, no funds for reparation, or nobody with knowledge of fixing it.

When a well in the neighborhood is damaged, women and children may have to walk for several kilometers to reach distant wells and rivers. Moreover, water in the rivers is not suited for drinking, and may cause diseases. If damaged wells can be repaired quickly, people will be able to keep drinking clean and safe water, and it will also lessen the burden of household chores for women and children.

JEN assisted with digging wells in Juba’s school premises last year, but in order for local residents to be able to fix wells once broken, we held training courses of well reparation. Schools in South Sudan do not have along the ground peripheries, so local people living nearby come and use the well.

The training course lasted for ten days, including on-site training using an actually damaged well.
The photo below captures the ceremony held on the final day, giving out certificates of completion of the course.
Every participant looked so proud to receive his/her certificate for acquiring the skills of well reparation.

Life from the Nile

The Nile running through South Sudan is approximately 6650km in length, making it one of the longest river in the world.

For a country whose infrastructure is still underdeveloped, the Nile is not only their water source but also one of their transportation means.

The river is also a source of refreshment and relaxation for us, with its beauty of mother nature.

　
People going down the river. There are people carrying large amounts of mangos crossing from the other side of the river.






Fruits grow along the river. April is the mango season and the riverside is filled with the fruits. Sometimes you can see guava trees too. The fresh fruits are very flavorful and pease people’s appetite.

[Mangos]




[Guavas]



Just outside the center of Juba, you can start seeing wild life. You can see beautiful birds and even alligators.






Even at JEN’s office in Juba, we used to add chlorine tablets in the water of the Nile to use as daily water. The water is clear during the dry seasons, but during the rainy seasons the water becomes turbid and is troublesome. Light colored clothes become brownish every time you wash. (Recently at last, purified water is becoming available so laundry is improving but it is still inconvenient compared to Japan)

　
By spending such days, we realize and learn a lot of things from the Nile. You really appreciate having clean water and well-constructed roads, things you take for granted in Japan. Appreciating life from the beautiful land, I want to continue our activities cherishing each and every day.








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Safe Water for Sustainable living in Lainya

2 years ago, JEN assisted hand pump mechanics in Lainya County to establish Lanya Pump Mechanic Association. In this on-going project, we are following up the association to enable them to work sustainably.  Recently, when we visited a community in Lainya, we received the good comment from the villager.

Mrs. Hellen Manish, a member of Water User committees in Lainya payam is very grateful to JEN; she really appreciates JEN South Sudan for facilitating the formation of Lainya hand pump association in the County

She said “Before the association of pump mechanics was started, there were many boreholes that were broken down. The situation has changed as there are pump mechanics in each payam who are providing services.  One of the pump mechanics in her area is  Mr. Juma Martin.  As soon as a borehole develops a problem it is reported to the association members who are also in charge of repairs.  Recently, a borehole in the village broke down as seen in the pictures and no sooner had Mr. Juma been informed, he only took 3 days to arrive at the vicinity and conduct repairs

She acknowledged that the burden for travelling for long distance for 2km to look for safe water has reduced now she can use part of her time for doing other productive activities like cooking food for the children.

Mrs Hellen also mentioned that , the case of diarrheoal diseases in the communities here lainya Payam seems to have reduced greatly as people drink safe water .

(This project is supported by Japan Platform and JEN supporters ).

Road conditions to our project sites

It takes about six to seven hours from Juba, the capital city, to Morobo County and Kajo Keji County, where JEN ia providing trainings and monitorings. In order to explore the people’s needs for the assistance in Yei County which is located next to the two Counties, we have gone back and forth between those Counties for three weeks with Elizabeth, who is from Kenya and taking the role of project officer.
Since the road from the capital to the project sites was developed by the financial aid from Japan, we could drive very smoothly and comfortably for the first one hour by four-wheel-drive car.

For the last five hours, however, it was a very tough ride for us, driving on a chaotic and wide red soil road like above picture. The car was largely tilted to one side and we were bouncing in the car all the way. On the way to the destination, we could not find any shops except for a very small outside market at a village.

Sometimes when we passed villages along the road, we saw women and children carrying pｌastic buckets filled with well water on their heads.



We see young people traveling long distance on small motorcycles, but almost all villagers walk or hitchhike when they go somewhere.

There was a handmade bridge made of logs over a river, but when we were passing the bridge, one of our tires got stuck between the logs. (As you can see from the below picture, the tire actually got stuck in the middle of the bridge)



Sometimes when the bridges are too narrow for cars to pass, tires can get caught in the river below.



Even though we conduct regular check-ups of the vehicle and also check the car’s condition before every departure, because we drive over six hours everyday on bumpy roads, sometimes on the way back to Juba, the shock absorber would break down.
As described above, traveling by car, which is usually very comfortable in Japan, is not always easy here in South Sudan. Moreover, there are rarely alternative routes. Therefore, in South Sudan at times of emergency, it is essential to have secured some communication media, and always carry useful things like tools, fire extinguishers, first-aid kits, food and water.

Assistance that leads to self-reliance

On January 22, I was appointed to my current post in South Sudan. We are based in the capital Juba of Central Equatoria state. In Afghanistan where I was in charge before, I also implemented program support of improvement of environmental hygiene, or "WASH (Water, Sanitation, Hygiene)". The key was how to promote autonomy of the local people throughout these programs. I feel that this is going to be a difficult subject ever in this country.
I'll show you an example. It was when I visited an elementary school in the city of Juba with local officials.

The principal told me that there was no bathroom, however, there were four pit grave toilets within a radius of about 50 meters in the school rear grounds.



The soil of the ground was of the type called “black cotton soil” , or black swell soil. The soil was weak and on the brink of collapse. The four toilets were sinking in the land and there was a big gap between the floor of the bathroom booths and the ground.



Behind the four-room bathrooms, there was a different type of toilets with three rooms. Not only these three-room bathrooms were leaning forward, but also were tipped to one side. There was another structure that looked like a bathroom even further behind. It was pit toilet with one partition, was obviously not kept in good condition, and the door was broken.

The principal told me that he had requested construction of new toilets to a variety of NGO.  It seems like as soon as there would be another support, these bathrooms were being used as if they were disposable bathrooms.
In order for people of South Sudan to build an independent nation with sense of sustainable autonomy, there needs an accumulation of small changes of consciousness. It seems a deep-rooted problem at first glance, but I would like to work on creating those “opportunities” that help people “wake” and realize the consciousness.

(Program Officer, Nahoko Araki)

Hygiene education in Illiangary Village: Towards a village without diarrhea

My name is Maliamungu Moes; I am a Hygiene Promoter at JEN. Today I will report on community-level hygiene education.

Our current project aims to let adults know the contents of hygiene education taught in schools, thus encourage children even more to change their daily practices.
Four hygiene education sessions are held in each target village.

【A hygiene promoter working in Illiangary Village】



The second session in Illiangary was held some days ago. The topic was “a village free from diarrhea.”
Illiangary, a small village with around 500 families, is located about two hours away in the east from Juba. The village does not have any toilets, and people are long accustomed to using outdoor sites. When we interviewed the village head, he only mentioned views such as that it would be helpful if the government installed toilets for them. The relation between diarrhea and toilets was not well recognized.

【The village head (in the center) explaining the lack of toilets in the village】



After learning about the relation in the hygiene education session, participants gained awareness about the importance of making toilet facilities. But then, there came requests for tools to dig holes…. We had to explain that clean toilets could be made with tools the villagers already had.

【Villagers gathered for hygiene education】



The situation in Illiangary Village is not special, but actually quite common in South Sudan. There are many things to be done before the conditions improve as in neighboring Kenya and Uganda.

(Maliamungu Moes, Hygiene Promoter at JEN)

Christmas in Juba

Happy New Year!

All of the staff here in Juba wish that 2013 will be an even wonderful year for you, who have been warmly supporting us, and the people of South Sudan.
　
For the first news blog of this year, we want to introduce Christmas in Juba summer. In contrast to Christmas in Japan with its flickering snow, it is seasonally early summer in Juba during the festivities. Even though the rainy season lasted longer this year, daytime temperatures around this time were well over 30 degrees.

There are more and more shops selling various kinds of goods here in Juba city. Many things that could not be obtained before are now on the storefront. Christmas goods are one of them. As the season approaches, storefronts are decorated, and lots of glittery Christmas goods are lined up.

 Shops that usually sell juices or snacks sell Christmas goods.



"Christmas is an important event for us. I want to sell pretty decorations so that everyone can pass an enjoyable time," the shopkeeper explains happily as he busily places the items on the store.

Shop keepers in big supermarkets wear Santa Claus hats to welcome customers. The storefront and the interior of the store are beautifully decorated.








Among those who live in Juba, there are many people who returned to their home villages and

We had an inspection ~At Kulipapa Elementary School~

The projects in Central Equatoria State in Sudan to construct the wells and the toilets and to have education about sanitation are now promoted by Japan Platform, thanks to all your support. On 23th November, the monitoring team from Japan came to the elementary school to have training of committee to control the water sanitary and they inspected the well completed in the elementary school.

【The scenery of the training】



The village mayor of Kulipapa Village heard that the team of inspection from Japan was coming, so he participated from the middle of the training. He complained the condition of the village and make some questions about the contents of the training. Because it was the third day of the training, the village residents could answer the questions. We could see the good results of the training so quickly.

【The fashionable village mayor】



【The village resident explained for the question】



Next we went to inspect the well completed recently. Though the committee members were still on the training, the residents have been cooperating with each other and more than half part of the fence surrounding the well was completed.

【The monitoring staff and Jen staffs inspecting the well】



We were asked some questions about a good way to choose an elementary school, the contents of the training and so on from the monitoring members.

(Head of Juba Office, Shu Nishimaru)

Community Diversity and the implications of Hygiene Education

One of the most interesting activities that is fruitful and sustainable is establishing community structures that can address hygiene issues in the areas where JEN is implementing a water supply, sanitation and hygiene education.

[School Hygiene Education with various picture cards]



In the current JEN project 2012, targeting of communities is particularly important and critical as the huge investments made in installing WASH facilities finally pays off by having healthy communities.

Juba County has displayed a very interesting settlement pattern that we would like to share.  For an outsider, it is common knowledge that Juba County is inhabited by the Bari people.

While visiting these communities it was apparent that there is a huge diversity embedded in different cultures among the targeted communities.   Some of the tribes found in Juba County are Bari, Lolubu, Mundari, Lokoya and Nyangbara.   The distribution pattern presents agricultural and pure pastoralists.

[Illiangary Village, one of the project site]



Targeting the pastoralists in Juba County for hygiene education can be extremely challenging as during this season when the rains have subsided, they move with their cattle in search of pastures for the livestock.  JEN’s hygiene team recently found a group of men performing a ritual ceremony in Tijor payam. The ceremony was termed as initiation for men in a common age group seeking to get approval from the community to get married.   The age set ranges from 18 – 25 years old.  These men in groups of 20 or more gather together for 3 months, and are subjected to living outdoors, to show how they can protect the community from enemies or attackers.  During this time, they do not wear clothes and neither do they take a bath.   

In South Sudan, men play a very big role in the decision making process, hence the need to include them in hygiene education.  However, when they are met under such circumstances, it is imperative to still create awareness among them on importance of hygiene in their families.

JEN is seeking to continue including such communities that are basically marginalized and at times forgotten in order to improve hygiene practices.  To understand their cultures as opposed to ignoring them or terming it as backward is the key factor for JEN to eventually get such communities to adopt new hygiene practices.

【Water Container in Illiangary Village】



One of the beneficiaries from Illiangary village, Kiden Rose said ‘we are very happy that now we have a clean water source in our area.  It is the first time we are receiving hygiene education, and we are happy since JEN has provided water for our children’

(Project Officer／Elizabeth Mose)

Audit from the MOFA monitoring team

From November 6th to 7th, with the support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the supporters, an audit was conducted by the Japanese Embassy of Srilanka to review the support activities of livelihood of returnees from October 2008 to September 2009 at Kiran DS of Batticaloa District.
Staff from JEN also attended communicating and interviewing the residents where the activities conducted have been finished.
On the first day, the agricultural readjustment assistant was monitored at Kiran DS of Batticaloa District. Their activities ended more than three years ago, confirming that the distributed tools were still in use and then audited the seedbed of hot pepper that residents learned as house garden skills during those days.




Grown seeds will be shared by the group. The big leaf in front of the man is a growing coconut leaf. In behind, a casaba bush and a big leaf of banana can be observed.
The residents were applying “mixed planting” which were skills they learned, when JEN was providing aiding activities. After the monitor, we visited the big local market and encountered the member of the fishing organization, aided by the fishing aid program, selling tilapia.




On the second day, we monitored the fishing organization at Vahaneri lake where boats and fishing tools were distributed by the fishing readjustment assistant. After visiting the fish market early in the morning we interviewed the leader of the organization.




After counting the number of the boat JEN distributed, we dined the fresh fish fry at the leader’s house.
【This is the boat JEN distributed, the emblem is still there】



【Fishermen on duty】



　
Additionally, we were able to interview the leaders from the selected members of the beneficiary committee of the second district of Kiran who participated the agricultural readjustment assistant.

Mrs.Indrani　, the leader of the beneficiary committee (joined by 111 household) of　Kudamunaikkal village　consisted by 15 home garden groups said “It has been 3 years since the aid has finished, we are now able to save our membership fee. We discussed with our members and to clean the Hindu temples”.  She mentioned with confidence that “I am very happy now that I can harvest vegetables from my garden. Before then, we only had our personal profit in mind, but now after participating JEN’s activities I began to think of supporting the other residents as the leader of the community. This was a big change for me.”
During the activities, the village was a period after returning from an unstable condition but people are now talking about their perspective.

We were able to confirm a strong relation being established within the village and the process being developed which was a very impressive monitoring.

Sri Lanka official trip report- northern area/part 1

This is Ueda, JEN’s Sri Lanka Program Manager from Tokyo Headquarters.  I visited Sri Lanka last October on an on-site inspection trip to survey the local situation.  Allow me to introduce the first half of my two part official trip report. 

On a map, Sri Lanka appears to be a small island.  In actuality, Sri Lanka’s land area is vast, about 80% of Hokkaido.  Hence, travelling in this country proved to be much more difficult than I had initially expected.

First, I visited Puthukkudiyiruppu DS and Maritimepattu DS of Mullativu District, 6 hours to the north by car from the closest major city, Colombo.  According to our local staff, residents of these areas had to escape to camp quickly, so were unable to carry a majority of their possessions, which they buried in the ground.  Some of the scattered living wares were exposed as time passed by, and some were dug up by the residents.  In fact, I witnessed families excavating the ground numerous times.

[Various things were scattered on the ground]


[Destroyed house which has been deserted]


Recently, few houses were constructed in an area where residents were allowed to return to.  These houses, which house several families under the same roof, are very basic and consist of wooden frames, zinc walls and plastic sheets, which were supplied by the UN.  Prior to my visit, I had imagined that many residents currently lead relatively stable lives, as the conflict ended 3 years ago, yet the reality of the situation was different from what I had imagined.  Despite regional differences, in most areas, residents still require emergency support in the form of water, shelter and food. 

[Displaced people are living in huts like this]


[In the absence of a local well, some districts are still dependent on water trucks]



I interviewed a 25 year old woman who returned to this village last August.  She was seven months pregnant at the time of the interview.  According to her, a hospital in Mullativu District had just started operating when residents resumed living in the area.  Yet as its facilities are inadequate, she gave birth in a hospital in the Jaffna District, which is 6 hours by bus.  Health and medical care is another field with a profusion of persistent problems. 

[Interviewed woman]




[A family who returned to the area in August.  They are anxious about their future.]



In the northern part of Sri Lanka, we have been repairing and cleaning wells destroyed in the conflict.  I could see the community workers engaging in the repair and cleaning work in cooperation with local residents.

JEN’s wells have unique details.  For example, in order to make their insides safer to clean, block-projections are constructed, so that it is possible to descend utilizing these stair-like features in a swift yet safe manner, in contrast to the conventional rope-only method.

[Community worker and JEN staff.  They are talking about this well]


[He is going down the well using the projecting blocks and a rope]



（continued in part 2)

In order to prolong the life of wells~retraining for hand pump mechanics in Kajo Keji County~

In the area where JEN has been working, villages have some wells other than JEN built for schools. However even though wells are once broken, currently those are hardly fixed.

One of the reasons is that the villagers do not know where they can find well-trained hand pump mechanics.

In addition to that, it is also a severe problem that people in there tend to repair wells after completely broken because there is no custom of regular maintenance, and which causes the repair cost very high. As a result, they cannot afford to fix.

For the sake of prolonging the life of wells, last year JEN established an association for the hand pump mechanics in Lainya County and created a system for them to cooperate with the community for regular maintenance.

This year, in Kajo Keji County and Morobo County, we have been working toward building a maintenance and management system for wells by connecting individual hand pump mechanics to communities directly.

The other day, in Kajo Keji County, we held a training session for thirty one hand pump mechanics nominated by different villages in order to improve their ability.

In the training, not only repair skill but the skill for Preventive Operation and Maintenance (POM) was focused, and which helped them to fix the wells before completely broken.

【Wearing work clothes distributed by JEN】



Every hand pump mechanic showed high interest in the training for POM, and one of the attendants, Mr. Chaplain Soro (age 35), gave us a comment that he was sure that this activity should improve the condition of water supply

【Mr. Chaplain preparing for acknowledgment at completion ceremony】



Mr. Asu Joseph (age 24) told us that he was able to learn concrete techniques such as measuring the depth of well and how to acquire cooperation effectively from the community through the training of communication skill as well.

【Mr. Asu with the manual JEN handed】



Through the training for hand pump mechanics, we will continue our activities giving opportunities for villagers to acquire a better understanding of POM.

【All participants in Kajo Keji County】



This project is supported by Japan Plat Form and all of you.

Head of Juba Office, Shu Nishimaru

Well excavation in Juba County

For this season we have scheduled the excavation of 10 wells nearby schools. After finishing the search for underground water on September, we began with the excavation process on October and we already have 8 of the wells excavated.

(Searching for underground water)


 (Well drilling equipment)



 (Drilling the well)



(Setting a pipe inside the excavated hole)



 (Building the well platform nearby Ganji Elementary School)



(Finished well)



After this task is done, we will inspect the quality of the water while the villagers built a fence for the well. (This project is being executed thanks to the support of all our members and contributors)

The Hygiene Education - Community Stories and School Mappings at Kulipapa Elementary School

The hygiene educations have been started at Kulipapa elementary school, which we talked about the other day, as it was the target based on the investigations.
The first training was about community stories and school mapping.
Because the school has grades 1 to 5, the classes were split into two. One class had students from grade 1 to 3, while the other students from grade 4 and 5.

Description of hygiene education



The students worked in groups and based on certain pictures created community stories about hygiene.
Younger students, the grade 1's to grade 2's, created stories based on the group of 5 cards provided by JEN.
The pictures illustrate a common idea of life cleanliness, cooking and hospitality.

This picture suggests washing hands and it relates to health.



The students making up stories about what the cards show.



JEN staff ask questions about hygiene each time a group presents.
Rejo ice Woro, in grade 3, said after the class that she enjoyed learning from the picture cards.



The grade 4 and 5 students drew pictures related to hygiene, after which groups of 5 to 6 students would have a discussion on it.

Students drawing pictures related to hygiene.



You can see the pictures telling their insanitary living aspects such as unwashed their bodies and drinking foul water and excreting outside of washroom.
The students made stories based on those.

4 groups presented, each group had 4 pictures.




The purpose of this activity is sharing ideas about hygiene while enjoying making up stories.
Later on, the older students have a conversation about their school's environment and going to the washroom.

Drawing of school map by the students



"It was my first time having the class like this but it was also a great opportunity to know how other students thought about it" Agrey Yugu in the
5th grade said.



We will continue to educate our students about hygiene through this method. This approach allows students to join in and learn interactively. They have a healthier life by having better hygiene.

This project is supported by Japan Planet Form.

The preliminary survey for hygiene education

Here’s a report on the preliminary survey at the school where JEN provides hygiene education.

The school is “Aru Primary School” in Juba, holding 240 students from 1st to 5th grades studying here.

The preliminary survey is to check the conditions of their knowledge, attitude and practice for hygiene before hygiene education is provided. After hygiene education is finished, a similar survey is made to see how their knowledge, attitude and practice for hygiene change.

The preliminary survey was conducted to 10 randomly selected students from each grade. First, hygiene promoters explained about the survey, “This is not a test, but you may not peep at friend’s answer and copy it. You do not need to write your names, and you may not tell a lie.” The hygiene promoters repeated explanation in English and Arabic so children could easily understand.

Here are some examples of questions.
-Do you know diarrhea?
-How often do you get diarrhea?
-Do you have a toilet at home?
-How many times do you wash your hands?

These kind of detailed questions followed. Hygiene promoters proceeded questions cheerfully with humor so children wouldn’t get bored with too many questions and closed the survey.

After the preliminary survey comes hygiene education. We continue the operation with hope that this will provoke a change in children’s behaviors in the future.




*This project is conducted by Japan Platform and your support.

Starting from Lulu – Independence of women

Have you ever seen luxury cosmetic items sold in Japan, that its ingredients including “shea butter” ?

Many trees with nuts, that are ingredients of shea butter, are found in South Sudan. Local residents call them “Lulu”, and nuts is eaten as fruits, oil is extracted from lulu and used not only for the edible use but also for the skin care.

This week, we would like to introduce you a group in Kajo Keji county acting for improvement of  the status of women.  The group is called “Bile wate ki”, meaning “Liven up women” in local Bari-language.  Group of woman are engaged in activities to earn income from lulu in the area called Bibi Gore in Kajo Keji county where JEN is acting.  They received training from an international NGO to make soaps and body oils in around 2006, and now they continue their activities with support from churches.

Oil extracted from lulu is classified to ranks A through C.  If  extracted oil is high quality classified as “A”, it will be made into body oils, “B” for food oil and “C” for soap.  Soap with plenty of shea butter will wash up our skin moist and smooth.

[Lulu nuts]



[Cracked lulu]




[Wrapping up cracked lulu and squeeze out oil in the machine]







[Oil squeezed out from lulu is boiled with water to remove impurities.]



[Soap]



[Body oil]



[They also build houses for their activities themselves.  Building up rocks on wood-frames and make plaster walls with kneaded dirt.]




[They also make honey.  Honey are sometimes sold in used plastic bottles in South Sudan,  but they use clean bottle for selling honey.]




We received a warm welcome with many smiles this day (though, they seem tensed with unfamiliar photo shoot).  Bile wate ki started activities among the first in South Sudan, where there still are very few industries. 
We would like to follow up activities of them.

A small bridge between the elementary school students of South Sudan and Miyagi Prefecture

In the past few days, elementary school students of Miyagi Prefecture, and those of South Sudan have enjoyed a small cultural exchange. Miyagi Prefecture’s Hirobuchi Youth Club (Ishinomaki City) and FC Impulse (Higashimatsushima City) participated in a soccer class held by former J-League player Teruo Iwamoto, and also paid us a visit at JEN’s Tokyo headquarters. Here at the headquarters, the children learnt about JEN’s activities, classes focused on sanitation in South Sudan, as well as performing the ‘Handwashing Dance’. Before the end of the visit, each of the children kindly wrote a letter to their counterparts in South Sudan.

[photo]



Everyone’s warm messages, all the way to South Sudan!! The letters were safely delivered to our friends in Jaba Primary School, located in Morobo County. Jaba Primary School is just one of the schools JEN has worked with in the past, with the excavation of a well, installation of toilet facilities and promotion of sanitation workshops; something which still continues to this day.

[photo]



We were then treated to a song about sanitation, performed by the students of Jaba Primary School. With the “hygiene club” leading the stage, everyone joined in the song.

The lyrics included messages such as “Let’s go to school. There, let’s learn about sanitation. Let’s cook and eat properly, and live healthily.”

In actuality, the sanitation song is a piece put together by the teachers and “hygiene club” members of different schools- therefore the lyrics and dance slightly vary depending on the school.

[photo]



In South Sudan, soccer is loved by children and adults alike. As expressed in the letters, should a day come where they could all enjoy a game of soccer as representatives of Japan and South Sudan, it would be a day enjoyed by all.

Everyday Struggles -Adliya’s Story-

In the last few days, as part of a look into the selection process of schools, we visited the village of Ganji. Here we came across a woman – and today, we introduce her story.

Adliya Poni is a 57-year-old mother of 6. Her husband passed away in a land mine incident 15 years ago (1985), and with many family members lost to war Adliya raises her 6 children by herself.

One of her children is married, another an unemployed university graduate, whilst the remaining four children still attend school –which does not come free. Adliya works as a cleaner in a clinic and earns £280 per month (approx. ¥4480), somehow managing to make this suffice.

[Adliya attending to the clinic staff’s lodgings]


Whilst speaking to us, Adliya was unable to control her tears. Despite surviving the war, it seems long-term emotional effects still linger, something which she has managed to endure. It felt like a typical day in the life of Adliya.

[Program Officer Haileseless Meles]

Energy Drink

This time, I would like to share the story about people in the village. After the research at Kulipapa elementary school which was mentioned in the last entry, we had coffee and tea at the tea shop right by the school.

[left black tea, right coffee]


The owner of this outdoor tea shop is Ms. Esther, 28. She served us a glass of coffee for 2 pounds (about 60yen) and a glass of tea for 1 pound (about 30yen).

[Ms. Esther is making tea]


Ms. Esther is a mom of 3. Their dad had gone to Juba to find a job but it is not going very well that Esther has opened the tea shop by the school since this March.

Here is how she boils water with the equipment.


After the water is boiled with this kettle, she pours the hot water to used tea leaves in the strainer. When it comes to coffee, she brew with this pot and done. Sugar adds some flavor to it.



Why she opened the tea shop here is that there are more people who work at the construction site and also there are more houses have been built around the school that many people from the village pass by.

[people from the village taking a break at Esther’s tea shop]



At 6 in the morning, she takes an hour to get some water for her business, then open the shop around 8 and works until 4:30.

It has not decided yet whether a well will be built at this school, but if it ever happens, mom who works pretty hard like her would not have to take an hour to go all the way to get water. Also they can relax a bit more while raising 3 children.

[Esther, shared a story about her business as she caresses her child.]



Each of us had a cup of energy drink by Esther then took a bumpy road for 2 hours.

(Head of Juba Office, Shu NIshimaru)

The current issue 2 hours away from the capitol –Kulipapa Elementary School-

As we reported last time, we have started working on the water hygiene campaign in 10 schools in Juba County since July. First of all, we need to pick up 10 schools out of 140 schools in Juba County.  After interviewing authorities such as Education Bureau, we recognized 25 public schools that don’t have wells in the area except Juba city and its neighboring areas.

[JEN staff interviewing teachers]



The other day, we investigated Kulipapa elementary school which is one of those 22 schools.  Kulipapa elementary school is located 2 hours drive on a bad road from Juba city.  There are 90 students from 1st grade to 5th grade and they study from 8am to 2pm.  They don’t get school meals and they would eat after getting home after 2pm.  It takes an hour for some students to get to school.

[Kulipapa Elementary School]



As we were informed from the administration, this elementary school have neither a well nor a bathroom. There is only one well which is an hour away from them. Water to use at school is brought by the janitor once in the morning. But it’s only one plastic water container filled up for teachers. Children can’t use the water, drink it during a break or wash hands before class. They need to relieve themselves in the bush backside of the school.

[Children are playing on the school ground during a break]



This school used to be an open-air class until 2007. Then residents started working together to build 3 school buildings with soil walls and tin roofs.  This year, the government started building 2 school buildings with red bricks.  However, they haven’t got to installing a well or a bathroom.

[Red brick school buildings under construction]



Since it is close to Juba city, we thought people would leave for the town. In fact, people who couldn’t get a job eventually come back to farm. That results in having more students at the school.

[from left, Mr.Koronelion, Mr.Kenyi, Mr.Ladu]


When we dropped in at the classroom around noon, it was filled with energetic students even though they can’t drink water during a break.


*This project is conducted by Japan Platform and your support.

[Head of Juba Office, Shu NIshimaru]

Start of New Project -Juba-

Monitoring by the Japan Platform (JPF) was ended without incident at the end of June, and the new project supported by the JPF began since 6 of July.
This is another water sanitation improvement project which remains in high demand. The activity includes construction of well and toilet facilities, setting up committee to manage those facilities, sanitation education, developing the system for residents to check their wells regularly by networking local repairman.
　The project site is Juba County, where the capital city Juba locates. You may think the County is more developed than other areas, but except for Juba City, there are many villages like other areas where people live in very difficult conditions.

-Map of Juba County, Central Equatoria Sate-



Penetration rate of toilet at schools in Juba County is 46%, which makes a little difference with national average 49%. There are nearly 140 schools in Juba County, and we will provide support to 10 schools in the areas except for Juba City precincts.

All-day project commencement meeting (kick-off meeting) for JEN’s staff was held on 13 of July. JEN’s Vision for Mission was shared, and the participants discuss about teamwork necessary for the project. Agenda for the project was shared, and precautions were explained by the administration and accounting department.

We had lunch at a South Sudanese restaurant.


For this project, about 20 staff will work as one for the people in South Sudan to live better life and become happier, by making best use of the support from people in Japan.

[Head of Juba Office Shu Nishimaru]

The Villager who understand, Monitoring by Japan Platform

The programs conducted from last May to this April were supported by Japan Platform and all of your support. The outcome of the program was inspected by the monitoring team of Japan Platform on this June 30th.




We headed to Lainya from Juba under the bad road condition which took three hours and interviewed the director of Lainya county to exchange information about the activities of JEN. Afterwards, we then drove to Kenny village, a hinterland under the bad road condition and confirmed the well which was maintained by the repair person.

【Interviewing the Mayor by the Member of Japan Platform and the Staff of JEN】


The mayor of the Kenny village said “we learned that daily maintenance and checking is necessary instead of repairing after being out of order”. Presently, the well that JEN supported is being inspected trice a month and the maintenance fee which is 25 dollars a month is paid to the Repairs Association where the repair person belongs.

【The Mayor explaining the situation of the well (center)】



Other than that, the Mayor asked” there are parts that needs to be exchanged and we would like to ask to provide these parts if it is available”. So we asked the number of household of the villagers and proposed” Why not ask the villagers to share and buy the parts?” and then “we understand that this is to be depend on your own however, we just asked if it is possible to ask it from the Japanese” explaining while laughing.

The villagers are becoming depend on themselves, it was a moment to feel that they are also being clever to achieve more support from the supporting group.
We express our special thanks to the Monitoring Team of Japan Platform spending 6 hours back and forth to inspect.

[Head of Juba Office, Shu Nishimaru]

Sustainability of water through maintenance of hand pumps

JEN has been working in South Sudan since 2007 with the mission of ensuring safe drinking water for the community. Right now, more than 65 boreholes have been drilled. Although the target beneficiaries are school children, communities living in the neighborhood also gained the benefits of clean water.

However, the rate at which the boreholes break down is a problem.  Boreholes in the rural areas have fallen into disrepair, depriving poor communities of clean water. The boreholes have been installed by either government or nongovernmental organizations but have not been maintained by them. Maintenance has been left to communities who have neither the capacity to repair and maintain hand pumps nor have access to spare parts. Water management committees existed and functioned for all the boreholes in Lainya but, in 90% of the cases, the community made contributions for operation and maintenance only when the boreholes broke down.

In Lainya, JEN found that 35% of water points, or 208 boreholes, needed repair, Out of the 208 boreholes, 15 hand dug wells are abandoned, 63 are non functional and only 145 are in good working condition but likely to break down more than 3 days (or 3 times) in a year.

It seems simple and obvious, but there is little point in drilling boreholes if the is no system to maintain them.  Every day that a borehole does not provide safe water, people are obliged to drink from unclean pools and rivers, exposing them to water-borne diseases.

That is why JEN commenced an initiative termed PPOM – Public Private Operation and Maintenance to improve rural water service delivery by moving from project based, one-off construction of water systems to delivering indefinitely sustainable rural water services.

JEN brought together interested pump mechanics in Lainya who have been trained earlier by JEN and other NGOs and taught them about operation and maintenance. Furthermore, the pump mechanics have been taken through the business development of the water sector.  As a result, the pump mechanics realized the need to engage the communities in ensuring preventive operation and maintenance from a private perspective. Communities, on the other hand, are required to contribute a maintenance fee on a monthly basis. Currently, the pump mechanics are working under the supervision of the Rural Water Department.

The project is still under progress but the results seem positive for numerous pump mechanics have shown interest. JEN will continue to give support to these pump mechanics in order to improve their skills to attain sustainable water supply for rural communities.

Putting clean water on top of the list.

In a country that is struggling with humanitarian needs ranging from poor infrastructure to poor health, access to water still remains a challenge in southern Sudan.

In all sectors, water seems to be the most vital missing link. JEN has been working since 2007 to alleviate this problem and ensure that returnee communities are able to settle in well and set their minds for development.

JEN focuses on provision of WASH services and facilities in schools. It has been said that every 20 seconds, a child under five dies in the developing world from a preventable illness. JEN believes that clean water is the solution that makes the biggest difference to the lives of the locals..

JEN drilled a total of 11 boreholes in Morobo County of Central equatorial.  While on a monitoring visit to some of the facilities, it was apparent that at least three communities received a community borehole for the first time. These are Okollowa, Dongoda and Asumuko primary schools in Morobo County.

"We always used to drink from streams and all our children had diarrhea. This meant high medical bills because we didn’t understand the causes; the new borehole is a huge gift as our children are now feeling better" said Headman Justino Bubuge Yoani in Okollowa village. 

Elsewhere in Dongoda, Rose Kaunda, a 53 year old mother of 11 children, said, "It is the first time we have seen a borehole in this community. People used to fetch water in springs that are far away, sometimes taking up to 4 hours. Now, as a mother, I am left with more time to farm and tend to my children because the water is nearby."

In the same community, a man had come to the borehole with a small 10 litre jerrican, which is unusual. When asked, he said he was fetching drinking water. Luate Muzame is 27 years old and married with one child. He said that since he grew up he never saw an organization visiting his area for humanitarian support. "I always thought we are the forgotten people" he said. JEN is the first organization to work in the area and now they have a new borehole!

In some ways, all the statements above may sound obvious. We all reach for the bottled water when in unfamiliar territory to reduce the risk of picking up diseases.  However, in communities where access to clean water is a big issue, this makes a huge difference in the people's lives.

Issue of Price Boost in Juba

JEN was currently proceeding budget for projects in next tern at Juba office. We suffered from the recent price boost in Juba for the budgeting. The conflict near border of South Sudan and Sudan is escalating this year and abeyance of oil export and expense of war triggers the price boost.

People’s life suffered from this price boost. For instance:
　Ｃｈａｐａｔｉ　introduced before as “Street Gourmet” used to be 2 pounds with egg and toppings, however, it is now ２pounds (applox. ３５JPY)without egg and toppings. It is going to be 4 pounds (applox. ７０JPY) with egg.

4-５ ping-pong ball sized small onions are １０ pounds (applox. 177JPY). A large onion is １０pounds.




　A egg is １pound (１７JPY)



Average price for a meal at local restaurant is １２-１５ pounds (applox. ２１５-２７０JPY). It was ５pounds (applox. 90-120JPY) a year ago.
（For 2 people）

Motorbike-taxi

The fee of motorbike taxi starts changing, although it is popular means of transportation for citizen. At this moment, the price of fuel is deferment, however, many petrol stations are closed as it is extremely difficult to obtain fuel. There are very long queues in front of open petrol stations. Cars, motor bike and people’s queue. It is extremely chaotic like we cannot find the exit for fed cars.
When will the price boost in South Sudan stop? How will the conflict’s conclusion be? There are lots of issues for new-born South Sudan. People just started taking a step toward solutions of many problems.

Please kindly keep supporting us.

Gourmet food on Morobo’s street-corner

Continuing from last time, I would like to introduce local foods in Southern Sudan, especially those in the village.

These are made from cassava which is first mashed, then salted, knead and deep-fried.





The texture is something like slightly hard dumplings. There are round, flat types, as in the photo, and also types made long and thin before being fried. You can see them being sold not only in the markets of Morobo, but also on roadsides rather deep in the mountain areas. Five pieces cost 1 pound (about 25 yen).

Boiled sorghum and beans




Boiled sorghum and beans are eaten topped with scallop oil, which has savory aroma. The locals love this fragrant oil and put plenty of it on their meals. One dish costs 1 pound (about 25 yen).

This is the fruit of a shea-butter tree, which is known in Japan as an ingredient for luxury cosmetics.

Shea-butter trees, called Lulu by the locals, can be seen bearing lots of fruit in the village in which JEN operates its activities. In order to be used for cosmetics, the seeds are dried and crushed to extract shea-butter, a kind of oil.




The villagers use this rich and healthy oil for cooking. Covering the seed is some fruit pulp, which is sweet and has a unique fragrance. It is edible when ripe and yellow.



These are the favorites of South Sudanese people. People look forward to the end of April, when the rainy season starts. This is because it is the season for termites. (They are bigger than the termites in Japan, and look like caterpillars when their wings come off).
People gather the termites when their wings come off in the breeding season. They are eaten deep-fried, or boiled in stew or soup. The milky-white soup is especially delicious – eaten with dumplings made of sorghum powder, called Ugari, soaked in it.




At the end of April, villagers came with treats for the members who were working since morning. The expressions of all the members, which previously looked a little tired, became bright at once.


There are big anthills here and there in the village. See the size compared with the 4WD vehicle? Sometimes they offer a beautiful sight with various plant roots tangled around them.

Gourmet at street corner in South Sudan

I will introduce the gourmet at street corner of Juba, capital of South Sudan.

This burger shop in Juba town is always crowded with people. It is closed in the afternoon because the burgers are sold out. This shop serves a variety of taste, chicken, beef, liver, fish, beans and vegetables. It may be one of the reasons of the popularity. Meats burned over the counter are very nice fragrance.

Fish Burger: lower left, chicken burger :lower right, Beef Burger: on the center


There is also fresh juice, lemon, orange, pineapple, Guaba etc.. Those are served in daily
Lemon juice



On the streets, thin-baked bread, called chapati, are sold. They stuff thin-baked egg into chapati deftly.



Topped with tomato slices and raw onion



It is easy-to-eat dish for breakfast, lunch and evening snacks.


In the market, there are a lot of household goods. Food is one of their representatives. In front of a shop which provides delicious cuisine, lots of people get together.
Crispier chickens are faintly spicy.



French fries to fried chicken



Fried bread, called Mandaji



Here is snacks, called Tamiya. Exquisite seasoning, crispy coat and the fragrant is very addictive. It is the food like pork cutlet without pork meat.


Women are frying Tamiya in the streets, giving out flashes of Tamiya aroma.

Various topics – Through monitorings -

Last week, we visited project sites at Morobo county to check progress. The project was at a final stage at that time and wells had been installed in each site. We will close up people we met there.


David Baiga（right/ ３０ y/o） works for Ududｒa primary school as volunteer latrine construction staff. His wife, Jessica (２０) visits his work almost everyday to see him.

He had ever worked as a farmer or daily employed staff but he obtained constructing skills. It makes Jessica positive for everything. David also said that he was glad that Jessica visited him everyday.




She is Grace (16) wearing blue shirts and drawing water from newly installed well at the primary school. She moved out her home and helps her aunt who has a family of 12. It used to take 40 minutes there and back to draw water but it now takes only 15minutes. They now can complete cooking and washing in short time and can have a relaxed time.

Children drink water happily  Lujulo West　primary school.

At Wongoboro primary school too.

Hygiene education at the school. JEN staff performed a puppet show. People who just passed there also saw the show.

JEN staff performed in an enthusiastic way at back stage.

In the end, everyone joined a photo taking.
(This project is supported by JPF and everyone.)

School Latrine Construction with Community

Samuel Ayume Agostino (29yrs) is a trained slab maker/latrine construction from Lujulo West Primary School in Morobo.  Lujulo West is one of the schools where JEN is implementing school latrine construction through community participation. The school also benefited from JPF 4 water supply for schools in 2011/12.

I found Samuel working at the latrine construction site together with his team of other constructors.  I asked him how they were able to complete the project while ensuring total support from the communities.

He said:’ The first thing we did when JEN trained us was consult the communities. We did not do this on our own but with the support of JEN staff.  JEN was clear that they did not want to do anything that could create a dependency culture especially with a new nation and communities settling down, instead they emphasized the need for us to make the most of the skills, coping mechanisms and strengths that people already have. We were sure that our community will be able to do it, especially when they were confident in our newly acquired skills.  I was very eager to show to my community what I am able to do’

The approach has definitely paid off.  We are now at the completion stage of latrine construction, roofing begins today and by the end of this week, we shall ensure remaining tasks are completed.  Altogether we have helped in the construction of 2 blocks of 2 stances latrine.
Samuel who is a father of 3 children said that earlier on there were no clean water sources in the village.  The community relied on water from a nearby stream.  Now they have a new borehole which is within the school compound.

When asked how the community supported the latrine construction process, he said that all the bricks used in the construction were burnt by members of the community.  Additionally they collected sand and aggregate.  They also ensured that workers at the site got food on a daily basis.  This was all done through the support of area chief, religious leader, teachers and parents of school children in Lujulo.  The children were equally not left out as they also made sure that there was adequate water for the workers at the latrine construction site.

Ultimately, Lujulo west has demonstrated that communities can take action towards restoring dignity and becoming self reliant. With the new latrines, sanitation in the school will greatly be improved.   The school has become a role model for other villages in the locality.

(Project Officer: Elizabeth Mose)

Electric Generator Recovered – Thank Japan Self-Defense Force –

In Juba, the capital city of South Sudan, Electric Public Corporation provides electricity to people. However, black out has frequently happened and the electricity is provided only 2-3hours in a week in recent one year. Thus JEN produces necessary electricity for the office by our own electric generator. Neverthless the electric generator worn out and did not work properly those days.

One day, some members of Japan Self-Defense Force (JSDF) visited JEN office. We just mentioned the unwell generator and a mechanic in JSDF offered check up the generator at that time.


   
They skillfully took off very small parts. They disassembled parts which had not been broken up when local mechanic had checked up for the failure those days.

The cause of the failure was dirty detailed parts which had not been checked up by local mechanics. JSDF mechanic polished very well the detailed parts exposed to fugitive dust every day.

After the maintenance, the power generator started working very well again.




(From left: Mr. Miyake, Mr. Ohno, Mr. Kimura, Mr. Shigekago and Mr. Urakami)

We highly appreciated JSDF for working under the scorching burning sun. JEN would use this power generator carefully from now on.

HOW JEN is restoring people’s dignity in South Sudan.

The world’s 193rd state faces a difficult start. Now only seven months since it was born, poverty is widespread and there is little decent infrastructure, such as schools, hospitals or sanitation. One in ten children die before their first birthday and more than 80 per cent of southerners don’t have access to any kind of toilet.

South Sudan has a record of un-imaginable suffering with decades of conflict taking the lives of 1.5 million people.

The existing southern population faces added pressure in that many thousands of people are joining the country from the north, most of which originally hail from the south and this has contributed to pressure on the existing meager resources in the country.

JEN has been working in the south for  slightly over 5 years, primarily through implementation of water supply, hygiene education and sanitation for schools. Watch our interview with one of our beneficiaries from Kajo Keji, to learn more about the role of the JEN in South Sudan……

Kajo Keji is home to an ethnic community known as ‘kuku’, who are primarily farmers.  Juan Esther was recently interviewed by JEN’s teams in the field regarding what has changed since JEN started implementing in her area.

Juan who is 26 years old and a mother of 5 said that she settled in Kajo Keji in 2006 as a returnee.  Life was unbearable as she had to walk for over 4 kms in search of ‘safe water’.  She would spend her entire day making two trips only to get enough water for cooking and drinking.

This left her family quite miserable as the children had to fend for themselves.  The younger son suffered bouts of diarrhea so frequently that she almost lived in and out of hospital all the time.  JEN drilled a borehole in a nearby school only 600m from her home.  ‘ I have never been happier as now I have enough time to take care of my family and don’t have to worry about water.  More over, the yield of the water is quite good hence I don’t have to queue for my turn’ she said. 

Juan  is a member of the water management committee says :  Sanitation in my household has improved tremendously.  I am now thinking of constructing a hand washing facility, as I don’t have to worry about the source of water any more.  She said that as a committee member her role is to ensure that the borehole is maintained and is clean at all times.

Juan is among many beneficiaries across Kajo Keji where JEN has recently drilled 10 boreholes.
JEN’s efforts to impact on people’s lives are also geared towards ensuring that they have restored dignities as well.

(Program Officer: Elizabeth Mose)

Beginning a new project ～State of North Bahr el Ghzal～

The project that we are undertaking since May of last year in Central Equatoria  State is at last reaching its final steps.

On the other hand、the preparations for our next Project are also in progress. As a part of it, since February we are conducting a field survey at the relatively safe zone of the State of North Bahr el Ghzal in South Sudan.

The State of North Bahr el Ghzal is situated on the Northern part of South Sudan, and is right near the frontier with Sudan. There are many returning citizens from outside and inside the country trying to go back to their hometowns since last year’s voting, which made South Sudan an independent country, and from all the 10 states that the country has, this is the second state that has the most returning citizens.

　It takes us 3 hours from the capital of Juba inside the state of Central Equatoria and stopping at the city of Wao. The place at which we arrived was an airport constituted only by a runway.
（Photo of the plane, used by the United Nations）

The Southern part of North Bahr el Ghzal State, due to the raining season from June to December that makes going from the main road to the villages by car difficult, has been always a region avoided by the support groups.
We took a look at those villages.




At the village of Manga Gier, we visited the family of　 Magd Muwarel. It was midday, when the kids had just returned from getting water. It takes 40 minutes to go and get the water and another 40 to come back.　It is the work they do in the morning and in the afternoon. 
That day, they had just returned from getting also some extra water with a small recipient for a sick kid.




This little kid washed a cup, poured some water in it and gave it to the sick kid. Although it seems that he does not wash his hands before eating or after he goes to the toilet.
We hear that the not knowing the importance of hygiene and being unable to get clean water through the raining season provokes diarrhea on both kids and adults.




A normal day for them goes like this: they cut grass (check the photo below) from the forest and they make them into bundles to sell for about 10 pounds each (about 300 yen).　Apparently the father goes to the capital which is hundreds of kilometers far from here to work, together with the brothers that also study there.




Later we visited the nearby school to which the kids go to study, the Elementary School of Manga Gier. As we were on the holidays of the dry season（from December to April）we could not find any students, but we managed to meet vice-principal and talked with him.
（vice-principal is on the right side of the photo below）


He told us about the conditions of the well and the toilets, and also about hygiene education. There are near to 800 students studying here, but there are no school buildings or teachers.　The classrooms are the shadows under the big trees on the surroundings of the training field.


There is also a toilet made by the community.




Inside there is a hole made with rocks.

It felt quite small for an adult.



There are only 2 toilets like this one. We hear that the female students use them while the male students do their necessities where the grass is abundant.　The below item is strongly needed in that kind of moments.



 
It is just a tree branch, but they use it as toilet paper. Apparently there are states where people use rocks. They throw them inside the hole after.
As there is no well in this school, the students can’t wash their hands after they are done. As it takes 40 minutes by feet to the nearest well, they cannot spend their precious school time on going to get water.
Commemorative picture with all the family.



We have just begun our survey in this prefecture、but we plan on comparing the results from this field survey with other regions and public data from organizations such as the UN, discussing with local administrations etc. so we can understand this problem better.

Community Unifies for Well Maintenance

JEN establishes the management committee for borehole maintenance at each school when it comes to build wells so that the local residents can fix or maintain the wells by themselves.

Therefore we have found some issues for the past several years:
1.The committee is able to fix only small problems but when it comes to a big problem, there is no choice but to ask the local waterworks department.
2.It takes time for the waterworks department come to the site due to lack of staffers and budget.
3.The department does not have spare parts in stock and the parts are difficult to get in the area.

Therefore, JEN is trying to organize the experienced local repairmen who are getting to have better skills in Lainya County. We are also making a system so that the local residents and private repairmen cooperate to maintain the wells, not to depend on the government. Regarding spare parts, the repairmen association manages the stock so as not to be out of stock. At the same time, we encourage the government to support the communication between the highly public association and the residents.

The other day, we offered training for member repairmen to reconfirm their skills.

(They are reconfirming their skills.)

Mr. John Rado said, “I reaffirmed through the foundation of the association that we repairmen are responsible for the borehole maintenance, not the government. Some communities are thinking about asking the borehole maintenance to us so now I am studying about the contract with my collegue.” He is an original member of the foundation as a repairman.

(Mr. John Rado on the left)

JEN is promoting independence support for communities in order that they can maintain their wells for themselves by making a private association centered in the “housing-public-private” network, not depending only on the government.

New Year in Yeitown

Yeitown is located at about three-or-four-hour drive to the south from Juba, the capital city of South Sudan. It is a hub of JEN staff members working in Morobo County and Lainya County, JEN’s project sites; Staff come to Yeitown to feed their cars with oil or stay overnight when necessary.

I asked Samuel, a staff member who spent the year-end and the New Year in Yeitown about New Year’s Day here. Let me share what I heard and experienced.

New Year’s Day is as important as Christmas. They usually go to church as they do on Christmas. So I went to a church at six o’clock on the morning of New Year’s Day. Hundreds of people came to the church despite it was cold in the early morning. It got warmer later.

Finally, around 400 people were at the church built in 1980s, and another hundreds were outside the church. We congratulated ourselves on being able to start a new year for the first time after the independence.

(Those who came to church)

(They came to greet the New Year even during the church service.)

Meals are also important on New Year’s Day. They prepare boiled or grilled meat --beef, pork or chicken -- and vegetable dish for the New Year. Women and girls usually join the church service in the late morning because of the meal preparation.

After the church service, they ate all day at their friends’ house or at home inviting their friends.

They have to spend less money in the rest of January and February because they spent so much on New Year’s Day.

The year 2011 saw a lot of events such as the referendum and the independence. The commodity price increased and conflicts have continued in some areas. On the other day, thousands of attacks occurred in the northern part of South Sudan, and tens of thousands of people were evacuated.

I hope the year 2012 will bring fruitful lives; Economy is stabilized and conflicts calm down which leads to stabilizing peace.

The favourite ingredient South Sudanese

Today, we will introduce a vital ingredient for every day’s dining table in South Sudan.

We visited a small factory in central Kajo Keji county.

Firstly, we put the ingredient into the machine.



It seemed that the ingredient was grained by the machine with motor.



What was squeezed from edge of the machine was peanut butter.



Peanut was grown in Kajo Keji county, a JEN’s project site. Each family makes peanut butter, however, the peanut butter produced at the factory where we visited is popular for the villagers. On that day the fragrance of peanut was spread around.

People love the peanut butter and they use it for variety of dishes such as soup, beans stew, vegetable stew and grilled meat and vegetable mixed with peanut sauce etc..

Although common types of peanut butter are sweet spread for bread in Japan, there are varieties of cooking methods in not only South Sudan but also many place in East Africa.

Latrine Construction by Community – the Digging

Local people would construct school latrines and JEN would provide trainings and material for it. The project was actually launched.  Latrine construction would proceeded digging holes for dirty water tank, wall construction of the holes, floor construction and wall and ceiling construction.

The digging hole needed manpower. In one of the areas, community made three groups and they were digging holed as a competition. In another area, most people were busy thus volunteers raise fund and hire the local people to dig the holes.




What the most important is for the project was not the method of digging but the process of how the local people discuss by themselves and make the decision.
They discover the problem, discuss and solve it. JEN provided self-reliance support in which local people are able to take those set of actions regularly and providing the construction material is just a catalyst of it. Though those process, the local people earn their experience as community.

James Doki,  a security of Boli  primary school in Kajokeji county said “In results of JEN’s hygiene education, students started cleaning the small old latrines which already exist. JEN was the first organization to come to such a back country. We never forget being supported by Japanese.”



We sometimes had to stop digging due to the water filled with holes by unusually continuous rain this year, however, the people were highly motivated and wished that it stopped raining immediately.

This project was supported by JPF , “Chabo!” and everyone.

First Female Instructor of Repairing Hand Pumps

Here is an extra story of the project. Let us introduce a South Sudani female instructor from Water department who has been playing an important role on trainings for engineer of repairing hand pumps. We had reported about her at our news flash, which had been published 2 times before. The reason why she was focused on was that female instructors are absolutely rare in this country.

Her name is Christine Proidencio (39), an instructor mother rising 5 children.


She started working for Water Department as an office staff in 1992 and received a training of repairing hand pumps in 1993. There was no female except her in 31 trainees.

Her mark was excellent and she was chosen as a repairing engineer of Water dept. She had been a first repairing engineer in Central Equatoria State and probably in South Sudan area too. We could see it from the fact that all visitor of Water dept. from other states was surprised at female repairing engineer.



Nowadays, there are 2 female instructors (for repairing hand pumps) in Central Equatoria State Water dept. including her, and we hope they shine with their profession.

In addition, there were three women in 33 participants from other area in JEN’s repairing engineer training. We would like to have interviews with them in near future.

This project is supported by JPF and Chabo! and all supporters.

(Article by Hileserasse Melesse )

Hygiene Education in Sudan: Issue Discovery through Group Discussion

JEN’s hygiene education in Sudan this year is provided to the communities, especially schools. The teachers and students had been participants until the year before, however, adults became leading player from this year. The method was not one way lecture style but participatory like the lessons held in the past. Here is an explanation by using the example of Adile primary school  in Kajo Keji county.

In October, each village had issue discovery sessions through group discussion. 15-6 villagers, not all, were gathered. Chief of the village helped to gather women and men, young to late middle aged people with good balance.

Then, they discussed what the problems are using picture cards. Some people had already knew the life with hygiene so that they detected toward the solutions by sharing information each other. This time, they discussed what is led if they did the business not in toilet but in the river or garden.

The picture cards helped the explanation and discussion which is difficult to express only by words. The session were progressed in a friendly atmosphere.




Mr. Bonny Loase (28)  rising 3 children said “If my youngest child did the business in our house or in front of the house, I will be clean it up as soon as possible to prevent from disease. I would like to attend next hygiene education session and learn more.”



At the edge of eaves at the rear of the group, people watched the session with their curiosity although they did not attend the discussion.



It took 90min by car from the town centre of Kajo Keji county to Kaiba  village which has the Adile primary school. We had to walk for 10 min to the village as we could not use cars due to the increasing of river water amount and the flow.


Due to the increasing the river water, JEN staff used wood combined bridge made by local people.



We arrived at the village by 10 min walk glancing sorghum farm at both sides of the road.

At the centre of the village, there are some buildings like below made by clay wall. The group discussion was held in the middle of there.



 
It took 10 min walk to the school to install wells and latrines from there. The inner garden of the school was beautiful. JEN and school staff checked together the place of installing the latrines. The candidate site was tussock at the edge of the school. Installation of the latrines would start next month led by local people.


It was a lunch break, when we visited. In the inner garden, the boys were enjoying playing football, girls were enjoying hit-ball game, in which they threw a tennis ball size ball from both side about 20m distance to the girls in the middle. If the ball hit one of them, they have to change the place. They enjoyed the lunch break.








(This project is supported by JPF and every one.)

Trainings for Repairing Hand Pump have been started

Training for repairing and maintenance of hand pump installed to deep-wells this year were started at Kajo Keji county. There are three targets to achieve.

1)Regular pump inspection skills
2)Simple repairing skills
3)Supervise skills for complicated repairing

Those aimed that people can keep using well-water by using the pumps installed by JEN as long as possible.

This is a hand pump for trainings (India Mark-ＩＩ)



There were 15 participants in which three of them had helped repairing hand pumps, four of them had repaired bicycles and one of them had repaired motor cycles. None of them had experienced mechanic training. They had to learn at least simple repairing skills in 10 days training.

Here is a photo of the participants


The trainers were engineers from Water dept. of county and state. They were used to teaching the skills with questioning to trainees skillfully. There were lots of things to remember such as pump parts, repairing tools and method of repairing. 

Repairing tools

Here is a brief explanation of dismantling and assembling of barrels which has the most complicated structure in the hand pump parts. This barrels are important parts of sending water to the pump.



These consisted of metal parts and rubber packing like the photo below.

Firstly, Christine, one of the trainers, shows actual dismantling and assembling of them. 

Then, the trainees practiced those in pairs.

They processed it with many tries and mistakes such as fixing the parts upside down or putting wrong amount of packings since it was their first experience to do it.

They fixed the parts firmly using repairing tools which they were taught the day before. When they practiced dismantling and assembling them within 10min, the participants who were not engaging in assembling were not only observing but also pointing out when the colleague made mistakes.

Lastly, they checked if it sucks water in a bucket.

Completed!!

After the practice, it is time for delicious lunch.

The lunch was Liro  (Balinese: Ugari in Swahili) made with corn flour and goat stew.

After lunch, everyone was eager to review the lesson to prevent from forgetting the contents until afternoon training began without break.

JEN would provide the well maintenance and management training one more time for another group in Kajo Keji county and two more times in Morobo county after the training for this group was completed.

This project was supported by JPF and supporters.

Construction of Latrine is led by Citizen

School latrine construction this term would be led by the community. It made that small breaks would be mended by community members and they would also be able to construct additional latrines by themselves as needed.

In middle of September, young people in the villages gathered and were trained of necessary skills. Three people form each village, in total 18 people participated in the training from Morobo county. There were lots of things to learn such as the method of piling bricks, making cement floor of the toilet and distinguishing stoned which can be added to the cement.

When they returned to their villages, they must lead the latrine construction, therefore they made their best effort to learn those.

This photo shows the work of tying up the wires of reinforced concrete for toilet floors.



It is also a part of training to crash stoned in large pieces for suitable size to adding cement.
It was roasting, however, everyone made material for practice by themselves with their very best.

Here is a result of the work in which they mixed cement and gravel and cast them into types. The latrine would be crouching down type thus a hole in the middle was needed. The things easily obtained were used as material for instance  the front in the photo is rolled paper bags of cement, the middle is plastic containers and the rear is soil bricks, although it is difficult to see.

The work below was surprising. They set a spade under the net and hit by hummer. This is for cutting the net. We were told that we can cut nets in that way if there are no tools to cut it such as nippers.



　
At the back of the training center, a lady chef cooked lunch. Beans stew, looks delicious
.

This project is supported by JPF and every supporter.

Water Environment in South Sudan will be Introduced in “Chikyu VOCE” Part 2

JEN staff went to Morobo county with the crew of international co-operation TV programme “Chikyu VOCE (Earth VOCE)” produced by TV Tokyo for coverage.

Kanjya  primary school　which we visited this time is one of the schools in which JEN provide hygiene education last year. Wells and latrine construction has been in progress this year.




When we arrived at the school, all students in the school had got together as it was time for the beginning of hygiene education. When the JEN Japanese staff made a short speech in local language, the students cheered. It was a time for hygiene education.

A hygiene club was established in the school and there are 15 members at the club. They introduce correct hygiene knowledge to the students in the hygiene education class which is held twice a week.




At the hygiene education class, the club members perform a drama for telling correct hygiene knowledge and do some quizes using picture cards to choose whether the illust is correct.




The latrine and well construction has not completed yet. The students normally use the toilet in a church in the school’s property, however, apparently they sometimes use the bush in the school as a toilet.




The task of hygiene club member goes on since it is also their role to encourage students to use the new toilets when the toilet construction is completed.

The aspect of passing correct hygiene knowledge from students to students will be broadcasted on “Chikyu VOCE” in October. Please check it out.

Received TV Coverage

JEN’s water sanitation project in Sudan  was requested to have TV coverage of an international co-operation TV programme “Chikyu VOCE (Earth VOCE)” produced by TV Tokyo. The guide is Mr. Lou Oshiba.

At first, JEN covered water condition in South Sudan with Mr. Lou Oshiba.




Even in capital city Juba, many people scoop up water from the Nile and drink straight away. People do not mind if others are washing their cloths, cars, and motor cycles and bathing, when people scoop up the water at the same time and place.




According to the man kindly interviewed by us, he comes here to scoop up water six times per day. He uses the water for his house and makes his living by selling the rest as a pound per tank.




JEN has a water sanitation project in South Sudan.
The day after we covered at the Nile, the programme covered JEN’s hygiene education at schools in Morobo county.

　
How have the children been learning correct hygiene knowledge, and the daily life of the children who have built correct hygiene knowledge.
　
Wait for a next news flash of South Sudan.

Hygiene Education through Radio

JEN’s hygiene education in South Sudan this year is different from the one in the past. Importance of hygiene is insisted not only by hygiene education at schools but also through radio to many people in the project site. It aimed to children who could not go to school and adults who had not had an opportunity to receive hygiene education.

It is not interesting if the contents are simply educational staff. Therefore we decided to produce radio drama and broadcast it, however, JEN staff had no experience of producing radio drama. Then, we asked experienced staff in another organization to train JEN staff.

　The training was held for seven days. Eight episodes and drama song were produced in the training. Although JEN staff was completely confused to make eight episodes in such a short period of time, they made their best effort.

　The main message of the episodes is “How to prevent stomach ache”. The drama covered the topics such as needless to say importance of washing hand, the knowledge of what kind of water is insanitation, method of storing water and dealing with bodily waste, necessity of installation of latrines and hygiene of cooking tools.

　We hope that not only children who learned at school but also their parents understand the importance of hygiene after this radio drama is broadcasted. We also hope that the number of people who suffer from diarrhea etc. will be reduced by practicing washing their hands at home.

One year in Sudan

It has been a year since I started working at Juba office in September 2010.

Juba city had been dramatically changed in one year.

A year ago, there were much rubbish in the city and dirty cracked plastic bottles were abandoned in all streets.
These days, rubbish bin for separating in 5 kinds were installed, number of paved roads were increasing and over 2 storied building had been constructed

On the other hand, there were many things which had not obviously changed.
I had been impressed that Africa had a lot of issues to be solved since I had come to Africa.
South Sudan, an inland country in huge continent, had many issues. Co-operation with neighbour countries was necessary to live in peace for people as some issues were not able to be solved by South Sudan itself.

I would never forget the light of people’s eyes after the independence. I strongly hoped that JEN support people not to be faded the light of that day.

I thanked for the fact that I am able to work with them and I would like to continue this work to let many people smile.

(Michi Ito, Administration Finance Officer)

======= Information===========
JEN received an award from Minister of Foreign Affairs

Generous South Sudanese

I will introduce a case which shows how generous South Sudanese are.

Banks are always packed by many people. There are so many tall people in South Sudan. My height reaches only to their chest. Just after I arrived South Sudan, I put maximum effort to queuing long time with avoiding being cut in on and protecting myself.

It is permitted to leave the queue while we waiting out turn here. Sometimes, we have to wait more than two hours at banks. While we are waiting, we can leave the queue and come back by getting permission of the people queuing previous and behind us.

　
So that, it happens regularly that when I thought my turn is coming soon, a person who had left the queue came back and I have to wait more. I am not really happy to accept this as I have been waiting for long time, however, every one welcomes the person. I am always impressed how generous they are!

(Michi Ito, Administration Finance Officer)

======= Information===========
JEN received an award from Minister of Foreign Affairs

JEN is deeply grateful to your kind support to our projects.

Independence Commemoration for South Sudan – Scenery of Celebration in Yey

On July 9th 2011, 10 states in South Sudan achieved separatist and was newly admitted as a country “Republic of South Sudan”.




Whole town of Yey county in Central Equatoria State, located 2-3 hours away by car from south–west of the capital city Juba , had a revelry. People from variety of tribes gathered at Freedom Square and celebrated the independence　together. 9 tribes which participated in national election on January 9th this year live in Yey county.




An officer in Yey county Mr. Area Waiwai  insisted in a speech at celebration that South Sudan was able to be independent because every one participated in the national election. In addition, he expressed his gratitude to continuing support by citizen group and NGOs during unforgettable conflict period with Noth.




What is more, he mentioned that it was important that each area in South Sudan develop all together. Yey county consist of variety of tribes so that each tribes dance their tribes’ dance using drums, bows and arrows and shared the delight with lot of colours at Freedom Square where the celebration held.




Mr. Uga Moses, an dancer at Avokaya  tribe, said “I am very happy with independence of South Sudan. From now on, let us clean this dust-covered area by the conflict without any confrontations among the tribes.”




Yey area has history which the area was one of the battle field and many thousand of people damaged by the aerial blitz during the conflict in 1996, the second civil war.
JEN will support and keep an eye on people in Yey who do not forget the past and are restored the area more powerfully as new country.

(Samuel  JEN Juba Office staff )

Independence Eve, South Sudan

The head of Sudan office was changed on June 1st 2011. Shu Nishimaru was assigned to the position instead of Michi Yamanakajima who had been assigned and made good result in Sudan from February 2010.




South Sudan had been a part of Sudan and it would be independent as a country on July 9th. In the capital city, roads and airports were rapidly developed, roadside trees were planted and atmosphere of celebration was gradually growing. One of the junctions in the city, electrical bulletin board showed remaining time to the independence day, not only how many days left but also how many hours and minutes as the photo indicates

　
On the other hand, to have the independence day safely, police and army were stood in Juba city and often check the safety. The roads were closed off near main site and peace keeping force also getting nervous. The NGOs discussed and agreed on avoiding going out after 11pm not to stimulate them unnecessarily.




JEN international staff thought about experiencing this celebration atmosphere and tension at actual place on the independence day, however, we decided to stand by in Kenya , the neighbour country, as among NGOs, it was recommended that the staff stand by at home and keep food and water around the independence day. 　

After the independence day, we would restart the project. JEN will support more to build society in which people are able to feel more happiness. In next news flash, local staff would report independence atmosphere. 

Water We Protect – Voices from Well Maintenance Training Participants -

　A training for “sustainable wells management” was held in Central Equatoria State Lainya County in South Sudan for 5days from June 13th to 17th.



From 2007, JEN carried out well digging project for obtaining safe water in South Sudan at schools where many people use. At the same time, JEN trained engineers who manage and maintenance the wells when those broke down by each school community. In this project, those engineers in some communities in the county work together and a network in which prompt response for repairing request from community and government was possible planed to build.



10 government officers from the county and Bayam  area and nine JEN staff participated in that training and learnt the method of spreading maintenance and repairing method to people. The government officers and JEN staff who received the training would be facilitators to develop the engineer network of obtaining safe water in each place.



Poni Silvia  who participated in the training said “I could learn methods of problem　solving by using resource in the community in case of problem occurs. When problem occurs in the future, I would like to encourage solving it by our self.”




　Government officer Moro Wilson  commented “I could learn hoｗ to solve the issue of well maintenance with local community. By proper maintenance of the wells, we would like to use the wells 10 or 15 years.”



JEN staff is now building co-operate relation with local community with not relying on supports but keeping mind of self-reliance, in which community maintain and manage the wells by themselves.

(Project Officer: Elizabeth)

(This project was supported by JPF, Chabo and other supporters!)

Well Delivery Ceremony (Morobo County)

On April 29th, a ceremony was held for delivering deep well with hand pump to local people at a school in Morobo county. JEN had provided some training to local member in facility management committee as engineers to use the well for a long time. It also encouraged self-reliance mind of the community itself. At the ceremony, certificates of training completion were issued and the member was recognized

County public officers invited to the ceremony showed thanks to JEN and they asked the committee members for contribution to the community. What is more, people related to Educational section were impressed that the bush was no longer dirtied by children’s excretion. We recognized the custom of the people changed to better way on that day.
(Programme officer  Haile)

（This project was completed in the end of April supported by JPF and other supporters. JEN started new project as we reported on May 12th. ）

Rocketing Oil Price

South Sudan recently suffered from rocketing of oil price and shortage of it. JEN team which had conducted researches at project sites had not been able to obtain fuel for cars and they had to stop the research once in order to go to buy some fuel to further area. We of course stocked some fuel for emergency, however the situation was serious that few days.

Not only fuel price, but also daily essentials’ price, included price of food, rocketed. For example, 25kg of corn flour had used to be 58 pound (applox. 1,600 yen), but it was 78 pound (applox. 2,150 yen)at that time, we could have bought 8 small breads by 1 pound, however , we could only buy 4 breads at that time. Recently many people cued in front of local bakery for buying breads.

According to local people and media, this was not only a problem of Sudan. The same situation applied to East African countries. South Sudan relies on imported fuel and flour from Khartoum、a capital of North Sudan, and Uganda, nevertheless people in Uganda participated in some demonstrations against rising price and it caused stacking up the supply.

There were large number of issues which they had to face before their independence on 9th July.

New Project Launched

JEN launched a new project at Central Equatoria State.

This project aims to improve the sanitation condition through digging wells and construction of latrines as same as JEN’s past projects. It also focused more on working with the community than the past. The community members mainly worked for construction of latrines this time such as manufacturing cement, and JEN supported that.

In addition, we learned through our experience that when the wells in existence went out of order, those were left without repairing due to shortage of the parts, engineers and money. JEN aims to organize a scheme for maintain and management of wells in the community by building core team of engineers and supporting building business model.

Through those projects, JEN will support self-reliance of South Sudan and engaging locally in the establishment of the country with people in South Sudan　for the independence on July 9th。

48 engineers to meet self-reliant!

JEN had provided a training for the local community "how to use hand pumps" as one of the water sanitation improvement projects at primary schools in Central Equatoria. This project is supported by you the individual partners and Japan Platform. 

We had organized a completion ceremony for 48 participants from the facility management committee who completed the training in Kajo Keji county.

The training officers and irrigation and water supply officers and so on from the government had attended the ceremony, and certifications were handed in every trainee.

One of the trainees, Ms Alice Edward, told us she wanted to let other villagers know the knowledge she gained at the training. At the last part of the ceremony, tool kits for repairing wells and spare parts were presented to each committee and the members were filled with delight.

JEN would like to be in touch and wishing them for great success of new 48 engineers.

Introducing JEN staff in Sudan

We would like to introduce our staff in Juba office.

Gale Samuel Kenyi is 28 years old, from Kajo Keji. He has a wife and a child, but he is now living away from his family to work with JEN. He first started working with JEN as a Project Assistant, but because of his strong sense of responsibility and accuracy in work he is now in charge of administration. “I am motivated to learn about administration and accounting. I would like to gain more experience and improve my skills in accounting and management, and contribute to peace and development in Southern Sudan,” says Gale who is reliable and makes suggestions for improvements in office.

Justine Lasu James is 42 years old from Juba. He has a wife and five children. “I am very interested in the work of JEN which leads to my motivation,” he says. He is hard working, and is always looking out for work he could do. He fixes things that have been damaged from the heat and dust in Juba, and monitors our office space for safety and security. He is learning mechanical repair from a mechanic, wishing to be able to repair cars and generators in the future.

Kim is our watchdog in Juba office. He is on duty day and night for the safety of our staff. He can also predict weather. The rainy season started in March, and Kim takes shelter at office when it’s going to rain. Thanks to Kim, we can collect laundry from outside before it starts raining.

Team JEN in Juba

Let us introduce staff working at Juba office.

* Gale Samuel Kenyi　from Kajo Keji, 28 years old.

Gale has a wife and a child and he is currently away from home for working at JEN. He is originally started working at JEN as a project assistant and nowadays in charge of administration work because of his efficiency and strong responsibility.

He said “I feel fulfilled to get some knowledge about administration and finance work. I would like to gain more experience and improve my accountant and management skill. I want to contribute to peaceful development of South Sudan continuously from now on.” He enthusiastically gave us many suggestions and very committed.

*Justine Lasu James　from Juba, 42　years old.

Justine has a wife and five children. He told that he is interested in JEN’s project and his interest keeps his motivation high. He is really hardworking and always looking for some tasks he can do. He repairs many things which were damaged by heat and dust in Juba. He also monitor inside the office environment and checking the security. He wants to be able to repair complicated machine such as cars and generators in the future.

Therefore he learns things by engineer with full of passion when generator needs to be repaired. 

* Kim

A famous guard at Juba office. He (actually "it") keeps watch his eyes very carefully for security of the staff whole day. Recently he became a weather forecast guy. In March, it often quite accurate especially in the evening. He evacuates to the office before rain or when sun sets.

We thank his prediction as we could take our laundry back into the office before rain.

A Message from a Local Staff

I am thinking of people who suffer from considerable difficulty at the disaster site of Tohoku Earthquake in Japan. As a member of JEN engaging humanitarian assistance, although I am actually not able to go to the disaster site, I would like to pray for people who suffer from water and food shortage and get engaged to control the damaged nuclear power plant despite their risks.

We believe that Japan will overcome this difficult situation and stand up again.

We sincerely pray for Japan that the nuclear power plants will be under control again and peaceful regular life will be back to you.

( Project Officer / Elizabeth)

“？” in Sudan

“What do the local people use instead of toilet roll?”
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“What do they use as an iron? (It is surprising　for us.)”
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“What do they use for charging mobile phone battery?”
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“What do they use for seasoning in the region where it is difficult to get salt?”
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These answers will be told at “MOTTAINAI x JEN the First Project Debrief Session- ‘Your Dormant Books Will Be a School! –Sudan’ Anyone can immediately make a contribution to society” which is held today. You will be most welcome to join us!

Please click here for details.

A Hygiene Education with Puppet Play would Start

Water sanitation improvement project provided by JEN prevailed the information related to hygiene issue by using puppet play. Although the puppet play mainly targeted to children at school, the benefit spread not only the schools but also around the community.

Recently, 10 staff at JEN had a puppet play training by 8-day intensive course.  The training was held with corporation by a NGO whose activities are specialized in health and hygiene in Africa.

Making puppets for the play required high skill and knowledge and it is formidable work.  A woman in the community saw when we were chopping a mattress for the material of puppet, and she said that ”You are wasting the mattress. If you could have given the mattress to me, I and my 6 children would not need to sleep directly on the ground…”. It was difficult to explain to gain the understanding that a little cost is needed to produce a big result. The puppets and the puppet play were made through those processes.

　
A rehearsal of the puppet play in Kendira  village at Morobo county was not only to inform people but also great fun. It was hot day, however, many people came to see the play.

JEN thinks that warm heart communication with people is important , and makes an effort to set an environment in which people can obtain new knowledge with opening their heart. The script of the play is simple and the audiences are involved to solve the problem in the play. It must be the most interesting way of learning!
　
Project Officer / Elizabeth

Keystone of JEN’s Support

Referendum for independence of South Sudan was held and the results per area were published without big trouble and deterioration of security which had been concerned.  More than 3.8 millions of people voted and 98% of them supported the independence.  After the legal procedure, the final result will release on Feb 14th.



It was greatly appreciated that the referendum was held peacefully, however, the deterioration of security had also been expected so that JEN had built a system in which local staff had initiative for the supporting operation from last summer. For instance, we delegated the authority to the local staff and they were in charge of most operation including some management.  In addition, international staff recognized the check points for the operation thus they were able to monitor from a distance whether the operation was appropriately carried out.




This time, although the international staff ran and controlled the project from Nairobi in Kenya until the final result was released, the preparation led success of smooth operation by local staff. The delegation of the authority let the local staff have stronger responsibility and work more independently, such as suggesting a practical plan.  We put great confidence on them.

Success in Morobo district

Students of the school which is located far away from central part of  Morobo  have problems in securing safe drinkable water.
Morobo district belongs to Green Belt of Central Equatoria State
and is relatively rich in green and water in South Sudan. However, there are many cases that undrinkable lake water is used for drinking in communities.

Richard Modi and his brother go to school always with little 1-2 liter water bottle. When they share this water with their friends, they have to draw new water from water source, which is far from their school and is not safe enough to drink.
Because of this undrinkable water, Richard’s young brother often get sick or have diarrhea.

JEN has been improving the access to safe drinkable water for children in Morobo district from 2009 supported by Japan Platform, supporters like you and people in communities.
We had already bored thirteen wells in elementary schools in Molobo  and we are now digging two more wells.

John Moro said, ‘Our life got better thanks to the wells. Before wells had been bored, we needed to spend almost all day to obtain drinkable water. ’




People in Dudulabe community also feel glad because the new well had bored few days ago. Darios Mawa, who is bringing up six children, told ‘The things what JEN did for our community is satisfactory enough for us. Not only the well was founded, we are also participating in the training of wells management. Now we don’t have to worry about ensuring drinkable water and also about accidents of the well because we had acquired the technique of repairing it.’

The wells repairing training offers chances for people in communities to think about the value to work cooperating each other, as well as technical knowledge of wells management.

(project officer/ Elizabeth)

National Election 2011

2011, this year, would be historically important year for Sudan. There were 2 large-scale wars since Sudan had been independent from the United Kingdom (Egypt)  in 1956. During the wars, it is said that there were 2millions of dead and injured, and over 4 millions of internally displaced persons who evacuated from damage of the conflicts. Moreover, there were refugees who had evacuee life outside Sudan.
 

In 2005, politicians of Southern and Northern Sudan reached a peace agreement which mentioned that they would have national election to decide whether Southern Sudan would belong to the North or been independent.

Southern Sudan started a national election from January 9th.  If the turnout rate is more than 60% and separatist and independent obtain more than half of votes, Southern Sudan will be independent. People in Southern Sudan were highly motivated for the election as they legally got an opportunity for their independence which they had been seeking for.   

Whichever Southern Sudan is independent, or belongs to Northern Sudan, there are large number of issues to solve for both governments. They have to solve important issues such as oil resource related issue and border of North and South related issue etc.

JEN will continuously supply  the supports which let people in Southern Sudan be self-reliant with more long-tern purview in 2011.

Year 2011; New Era for the people of Sudan

Year 2011 would be historically important year for Sudan.

There were 2 large-scale wars since Sudan had been independent from the United Kingdom (Egypt) in 1956. During the wars, it is said that there were 2millions of dead and injured, and over 4 millions of internally displaced persons who evacuated from damage of the conflicts. Moreover, there were refugees who had fled outside Sudan.
 
In 2005, politicians of Southern and Northern Sudan reached a peace agreement which mentioned that they would have national election to decide whether Southern Sudan would belong to the North or been independent.

Southern Sudan started a national election from January 9th.  If the turnout rate is more than 60% and separatist and independent obtain more than half of votes, Southern Sudan will be independent. People in Southern Sudan were highly motivated for the election as they legally got an opportunity for their independence which they had been seeking for.   

Whichever Southern Sudan is independent, or belongs to Northern Sudan, there are large number of issues to solve for both governments. They have to solve important issues such as oil resource related issue and border of North and South related issue etc.

JEN will continuously implement the support which let people in Southern Sudan be self-reliant with more long-tern purview in 2011.

Working with the Community … It is Tough

I was afraid of water and I could not swim at all. However, I became able to cross River Nile by canoe when I went to an island near Juba to conduct a survey for a project needs.

Firstly, I got on the canoe, which was only one mean of transportation for the island, by using all my courage to check living environment of people in that island.  I saw that children are swimming in the river and my fear was gradually increasing. After 10 minutes, I finally calmed down and enjoyed the guide by the boatman.

Apparently, there is no “toilet” in Gondokoro Island at all! In spite of the fact that it was only 2 km away from Juba which was a capital city of Southern Sudan, this big island had been isolated because there was no bridge to that island and it was not able to take supply to that island.

I was told that the island was used as a hub for slave and ivory trade for Arabian invaders. Children in the island told me about a rich British couple who move into that place in 1940s. The children enjoyed having local mangos while they were talking.  That was true that that island was perfect to live.

Most people who settled in the island were engaged to agriculture or grazing. The food harvested in that island was counted on food supply of big city Juba. The livestock they had was used as marriage gift from gloom’s family to bride’s family.

Although I fought to fear of water and arrived to the island in the end, we were not allowed to have a discussion with community members and take pictures since it was in the middle of election campaign for local referendum.

That is all for the news flash this time.

Working with the Community

I was afraid of water and I could not swim at all. However, I became able to cross River Nile by canoe when I went to an island near Juba to conduct a survey for a project needs.

　 Firstly, I got on the canoe, which was only one mean of transportation for the island, by using all my courage to check living environment of people in that island.  I saw that children are swimming in the river and my fear was gradually increasing. After 10 minutes, I finally calmed down and enjoyed the guide by the boatman.

Apparently, there is no proper “toilet” in Gondokoro Island at all! In spite of the fact that it was only 2 km away from Juba which was a capital city of Southern Sudan, this big island had been isolated because there was no bridge to that island and it was not able to take supply to that island.

I was told that the island was used as a hub for slave and ivory trade for Arabian invaders. Children in the island told me about a rich British couple who move into that place in 1940s. The children enjoyed having local mangoes while they were talking.  That was true that that island was perfect to live.

Most people who settled in the island were engaged to agriculture or grazing. The food harvested in that island was counted on food supply of big city Juba. The livestock they had was used as marriage gift from gloom’s family to bride’s family.

Although I fought to fear of water and arrived to the island in the end, we were not allowed to have a discussion with community members and take pictures since it was in the middle of election campaign for local referendum.

That is all for the news flash this time.

A Magic Tree in Sudan

When I saw the tree was on the way to a project site in Morobo county, from Juba. That area was covered by trees of the woods like other areas of southern Sudan. However, the tree was far taller than others in the area so that I wondered why only this tree grew like this.  That was Mahogany. Mahogany was highly prized as timber but there were no Mahogany tree around.

After a while, I passed that road again and asked a local staff about that tree. The local staff told me surprising story.

This tree was old and perfectly suitable for timber therefore some people had ever tried to cut down the tree and never succeeded. Some people tried to cut it down by using heavy machinery. The tree fell, however, it stood there next day as if nothing had happened.

Do you believe this? It was completely unbelievable story for me. Might it have magic power? Tree of Buddha in Sudan…. “Banyan Tree” in Asia and “Baobab” in Africa, especially in Madagascar, are famous for that kind of story. I wish someone could find the truth about it….

A Magic Tree in Sudan

When I saw the tree, on the way to a project site in Morobo county, from Juba. That area was covered by trees of the woods like other areas of southern Sudan. However, the tree was far taller than others in the area so that I wondered why only this tree grew like this.  That was Mahogany. Mahogany was highly prized as timber but there were no Mahogany tree around.

After a while, I passed that road again and asked a local staff about that tree. The local staff told me surprising story.

This tree was old and perfectly suitable for timber therefore some people had ever tried to cut down the tree and never succeeded. Some people tried to cut it down by using heavy machinery. The tree fell, however, it stood there next day as if nothing had happened.

Do you believe this? It was completely unbelievable story for me. Might it have magic power? Tree of Buddha in Sudan…. “Banyan Tree” in Asia and “Baobab” in Africa, especially in Madagascar, are famous for that kind of story. I wish someone could find the truth about it….

A Big Achievement of Hygiene Education Workshop

　We visited the project site in Kajo Keji county with members of JPF, who came for visitation of JEN’s water sanitation improvement in Southern Sudan. We could confirm the big achievement of the hygiene education workshop for teachers, which was previously picked up in this section, through this visit.

　In the workshop, the teachers made an action plan in which they would provide the education to the student s in their school. Surprisingly, the action plan has been implemented in many schools! In one school, hand washing facility has been installed in front of the toilets with the initiative of the teacher who participated in the workshop. We could see the children are washing their hand after using the toilet there. In another school, message plates about hygiene and health were installed. JEN’s role is to provide a chance to make a positive change. We are so glad that we have successfully played the id eal role.

　In Morobo county, installation of the latrines and excavation of wells are steadily in progress. The site which has quickest progress is in the stage of water amount test. It will be informed in near future.

Head of Office in Juba/ Michi Yamanakajima

Achievement of Hygiene Education Workshop

We visited one of the project sites in Kajo Keji county with members of JPF (Japan Platform), who came for view JEN’s project in Southern Sudan. We could confirm the big achievement of the hygiene education workshop for teachers, which was previously picked up in this section, through this visit.

In the workshop, the teachers made an action plan in which they would provide the education to the students in their school. Surprisingly, the action plan has been implemented in many schools! In one school, hand washing facility has been installed in front of the toilets with the initiative of the teacher who participated in the workshop. We could see the children are washing their hand after using the toilet there. In another school, message plates about hygiene and health were installed. JEN’s role is to provide a chance to make a positive change. We are so glad that we have successfully played the ideal role.

In Morobo county, installation of the latrines and excavation of wells are steadily in progress. The site which has quickest progress is in the stage of water amount test. It will be informed in near future.

Head of Office in Juba/ Michi Yamanakajima

Once Nervous, Now Happy. A tale of Teacher

We conducted the monitoring visit of hygiene education at Kajo Keji county. JEN uses an interactual method called PHAST for hygiene education. JEN's support is carefully organized to let the participants, children at the primary schools, notice the problems related to hygiene, find the solutions and take actions for these.

In addition, JEN has been providing some trainings which enable the teachers to provide hygiene education to new students after JEN completes the project at that school. 25 teachers from 22 primary schools took part in the training held at Kajo Keji county.

This was the first time for the teachers to participate in this kind of training so that they seemed slightly nervous. However, they started to be familiar each other through the group works and exchanged ideas in a enthusiastic way. The photos show the work for the technique used for telling the actions related to hygiene issues happened in the communities near the schools by picture. A plenty of unique pictures were showed at the time. After the classroom lecture for 3 days, they visited the community to have some practical training.  In the end, the teachers returned to their schools with confidence after they completed the training.

We can imagine how the teachers provide hygiene education to children next year after JEN complete the project.

Michi Yamanakajima, Head of Office at Juba

Children Plant Trees

In Sudan, very few schools have cleaners or caretakers. Instead, the children themselves must keep the school tidy.

They cut the grass to drive away snakes and mosquitoes, sweep the classrooms, and even clean the toilets. However, last week JEN came up with a slightly more interesting way to make over the schools that JEN has nearly finished constructing: to plant trees. Each child was given a seedling that they themselves could plant in the school garden. There are eight different kinds of trees to choose from and 120 were planted at each school.
The idea is to have each pupil keep a pet tree to look after and watch it grow. Every year as they prepare for exams, they can look out of the classroom window and see their own personal trees enjoying the sunshine and growing taller every month. Perhaps one day they will be able to sit with their friends in the shade of their tree during lunch break. If they are really lucky, in a couple of years they might even be able to feast on mangos from their own trees!

Nonetheless, as people struggle to cultivate a  peaceful future, there are many reminders of the difficult history that the previous generations have endured. At one school, as we dug a hole to plant a mahogany seedling, we unearthed an empty AK-47 magazine.　
Philip, Project Officer
In cooperation with the UNHCR, JEN  is constructing three elementary schools in Juba.

When Action Speaks More Than Words

On the 29th of June 2010, I visited the Bright Unity School in Kajo Keji County, Kajo Keji town, where we conduct hygiene education. It is a co-ed school, and is the largest school in the county with over 1,000 students. The campus has both brick buildings and the traditional mud houses called Tukul.
Thanks to all of our supporters and Japan Platform, JEN is conducting hygiene education and constructing wells and toilets at schools in the Kajo Keiji and Morobo Counties. We have been working in the Kajo Keiij County since 2008, and JEN is very well-known among the locals there. When we visited the Bright Unity School, children there warmly welcomed us, knowing that we are from JEN. It was a living proof of JEN’s success in the community.

Haileselasse, Program Officer

KAP survey has started!

Thanks to all of your support and Japan Platform, the School Water Sanitation Project is ongoing as planned.

In this project, we construct latrines and wells at schools, establish school committees for their maintenance and management, and provide training with regard to these facilities’ maintenance and management.

Furthermore, we are providing hygiene education at a total of 51 schools. At this moment, we are conducting a KAP survey, in which we conduct a pre-education survey on children’s level of hygiene knowledge(Knowledge), their attitude toward changing their behaviour (Attitude) and their behaviour practice (Practice).

Based on this survey, we are trying to make the hygiene education as thorough as possible.

The Life in Morobo is Keep Changing

I met Ms. Betty Ayozo pumping water from the new well at Onbatikiriko primary school. Mrs Betty is 23 years old and she has 2 children. She had to walk more than 1 kilometer to pumping water.

This is the only place where people can obtain safe water. Sometimes there is long queue and people have to wait more than one hour. She used to use river water for cooking and the food was stained by the water　at that time.

The family using the well at school has to pay 1 pound per month per family to Well maintenance committee. The well is placed in the school site therefore the students at the school have a priority for use of the well. However, people have a recognition that the maintenance of the well need to be managed by society.

Challenges in School Construction

Studying in a Sudanese school is often not easy. There are no quiet libraries. Instead, 50 students share a noisy mud hut. Other less fortunate pupils have trees as their roof. On rainy days, school is cancelled; otherwise, children and their textbooks will get soaked!

That is why schools that JEN is constructing will be so helpful. Each class can have its own room, and students can finish their homework at more peaceful and dry places.

  However, while Sudan is not an easy place to be a student, it is also not an easy place to carry out construction. Problems like violence during election times, tribal conflicts, and flash flooding are obviously serious issues. But sometimes challenges are less formidable. This week, we had to make sure someone was guarding our construction sites even during the night – not because of the threat of thieves, but to protect against roaming goats that like to walk on freshly paved cement, leaving their footprints on it and spoiling our progress!

  Not only is it difficult to go to school in Sudan, it is also difficult to construct one.

Unexpected Intruder

It is not easy to learn in school quietly in Sudan.

Needless to say, there is no quiet library, and the noisy huts with mud wall are packed by 50 students. Unfortunate students have to study under the tree. It is the open air school. When it is rain, the school will be closed otherwise the students and the text books will get soaked!!

In this situation, the schools currently being constructed must be very useful. All classes are able to have own classrooms, and the students will be able to some homework in the rooms without getting soaked.

The school construction is prevented by not only some big issues such as the troubles caused by the election, the conflict between the nationality and the flood. We had to watch the schools all day this week. It was not for guarding from burglars. It was for protecting the schools from the goats which had spoiled our work by walking on the unfixed cement and making their foot prints on it!!

In Sudan, it is difficult to go to schools, but it is difficult to construct schools itself, too.

Water Sanitation assistance in Morobo county has been successful!!

JEN’s water sanitation programme for schools brought some changes to people’s life in Morobo county, remote area.

A person who lives in Ryokapoto said ”Well equipped hygiene facility and safe drinking water brought us fantastic development.” Ryokapoto is a local town in Morobo county.

Alhaji, a chief of water department in Morobo county, said "This is absolutely fantastic for people in Morobo. We did not expect that we achieved such a many things in one year".

By stocking rainwater from roofs, 1000 children learning in 6 schools in Morobo county became able to use lavatories.

Wani, a chef of Ryokapoto said “We had not used these kind of facilities before. We did not know JEN, neither. It has been a year since JEN started the projects here, there are many changes. We cannot talk about these changes without  JEN”

Changing Seasons

In Japan, most people recognize four seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter.
In Sudan, however, there seems to be some extra ones. For example, last month was the ‘election season,’ which has now passed and given way to the ‘rainy season’. Occasional bursts of torrential rain have benefits as well as disadvantages. Their main perks include cooler temperature (down from 48 degrees Celsius in February), which allows us now to sleep at night, and pretty clouds, which give way to beautiful sunsets. The downside includes roads being inundated, suddenly burgeoning mosquitoes, and disruption of work.

For example, some of the local people who were helping to construct primary schools in the Juba County literally had their work washed away. When I found out about their problem, I tried to visit them to see it in person only to find myself stuck because the bridge on the way had also been destroyed in the deluge.

It was not a typhoon but still another unexpected challenge to overcome. Bring on the ‘dry season’!

Now I Feel More Secure

JEN’s Sudan Office and Residence are in the same compound. A Tukul was constructed in the compound to serve as a store. A Tukul is a hut made with mud bricks and roofs covered with hay leaves.

The Tukul

It’s more or less better than the rest for the room is cooler, except for one problem; security-wise it is not recommendable. It can be easily attacked but thank God nothing has happened yet.

After a long discussion with the JEN Headquarters, we now reached a decision that I deem was wise; a permanent construction of two rooms that are connected to the old building is ongoing. Thank you to all who were involved in making this decision!

Election in Sudan

From April 11th to 15th, an election was held in Sudan.

It was a historic first in the last two decades, during which election could not have been held due to war. As a result, many people voted for the first time in their lives at this occasion. As part of the election campaign, candidates’ posters were posted on walls, while election bags, T-shirts, and skirts were distributed free of charge. Children received free T-shirts for not being able to vote.

On the day of election, the community where JEN is constructing a primary school was used as a polling station, and the chief of the community proctored the election process. Since the school was still under construction, voting was held under a tree. For the next election, however, we hope that the school could be used as their voting site.

It is amazing that schools can become a community center.

Water Hygiene Education ~Puppet Show~

JEN is constructing wells and toilet facilities in schools, and conduct hygiene education for school children to prevent water-born diseases, all in line with the aim to improve the water hygiene environment of the Sudanese repatriates in South Sudan. This time, we will take the opportunity to explain our hygiene education program.

In Japan and other so-called developed countries, we understand why washing hands after using the bathroom is important. It is now a normal custom for anyone to wash their hands. However, this does not apply to the Sudanese repatriate children, who have never received proper hygiene education. We start from zero- first we explain why we must use toilet facilities.

When we explain hygiene, sometimes the effect is not maximized by just talking and explaining. In Kajo-keji County, JEN is carrying out Hygiene Education in primary schools, where we use different tools to pass on the Hygiene massage to young school children. Puppetry is one of the tools that JEN Sudan has being using since 2007.

What is so special about a “puppet show”?
-It is the puppets (third person) playing the role.
-And thus the children can observe the play rather objectively.

If it were real people who did a play, it bears the risk of being too realistic. It is better to have puppets convey the message, so that the audience – young children – can take in the message easily. They reflect on their daily lives, they see themselves with the puppets.

The school children watch the puppet show with great attention. Speaking to one of the pupils in the school after the show, she said “I am going to tell mommy what I watched”. We sincerely hope that the knowledge spreads, from mouth to mouth, and in the end improve the sanitation of the whole community.

Community’s Real Strength

One of JEN’s principles is “assistance to assist, not assistance to provide”. What is important in order to realize this principle is the ‘process’ by which we communicate with the local people. Today, we would like to share with you an episode from last December during reparation of agro wells.

Reparation of wells is one of the most prioritized issues in the water hygiene sector of South Sudan. In particular, it is of utmost importance for the communities themselves to learn and acquire the skills to repair the agro wells themselves.

The community that JEN was assisting in building schools originally had 4 wells, of which 3 were already broken. JEN had a meeting with the people from the community about these broken wells. It seems that the community had somewhat expected that JEN would repair the wells for them.

However, JEN’s mission is not only to assist people, but to ensure that they can learn to look after themselves in a sustainable way. JEN asked the community how they intended to cover the cost of the necessary reparations. This was something that they had not thought about. In appreciation of JEN they managed to raise enough money for half of the cost, so JEN provided the balance. Even though this was a new attempt for the people, they bought the idea.

It is this decision, “we can repair the wells ourselves, in fact it is us who has the responsibility in repairing our wells” that marks self-reliance. It is not the details- taking on half of the expenses etc- but it is the fact that they can deal with the problem independently.

So following the successful reparation of the boreholes, the whole community had a big meeting and decided to start a borehole management fund. From now on, the community members will contribute a small amount of money every week to the treasurer who will keep it for use in case where maintenance is required.

The Footstep of my Father and my Uncle (Part 2)

People in Eritrea nowadays are surviving with the financial remittance from relatives in the Diaspora. Like the rest, I also shared my small income with my relatives and finally, since it was not enough, I asked my brother (third follower), 48, to come all the way over to Juba. He accepted it, risked himself to cross the border illegally, but thanks God; he was safe and is now employed by one of the biggest hotels of Juba. Now the whole Meles family is able to live much better economically than ever, putting behind the curtains, how difficult it is to live in different countries, especially when one is not able to visit his/her country, because of illegal immigration.

My brother, Berhane, in Star Hotel, Juba

Now, this reminds me the way my father and his brother (my uncle) migrated to Ethiopia. They were suffering of severe poverty at home. The only good asset they had, which their villagers still witness was strong love and cooperation of each other. But because of the poverty my father went to Ethiopia; started helping both families; but was very difficult for him and finally he found it better to call his brother and both families all over to Ethiopia where they lived conveniently for more than 40 years until they were deported after the independence of Eritrea.

So far, as far is my father’s and his brother’s history is concerned, I can say history is repeating itself but I hope and pray the repatriation to be sooner and with our own consent.

The Footstep of my Father and my Uncle (Part 1)

We would like to introduce one of the JEN Sudan staff two two-report series. He is Mr. Haileselasse Meles, an administrative assistant in JEN Sudan’s Juba Office.

“I had no dreams at all that neither my relatives nor I will go out elsewhere than my country, Eritrea, especially at this retiring age. After all, all of us were living in Ethiopia until the independence of my country. By the way, all of us are civil servants and hence are working for different companies and organizations.
Me, after having worked for different private and governmental organizations, fortunately I joined JEN in 2002, in Eritrea. But following its withdrawal in 2006, since the employment opportunity was so low, I had to apply to work in JEN Sudan and thanks to the management; the response was prompt and positive.
To the surprise of the reader, I had no passport until then and I was asked to report in Juba in less than a fortnight.  But to my satisfaction, I acquired the passport and the visa and reported in Juba within the deadline.

Some part of Meles Family
My stay in Juba working for JEN was really a pleasure not only to my family and me but also to my close relatives.”
(To be continued in the next report…)

A trip to Terekeka…

A recent assessment mission took me to one of the most underserved areas of Central Equatoria named Terekeka.

Terekeka is mainly predominated by nomadic communities whose main source of livelihood is cattle keeping.  JEN has implemented a school water and sanitation program in this area in the past.  It was very interesting to carry out our assessment in one of the hot spots in Sudan after reassurance about the now existing peace and security in the area.

There were lots of interesting things going on in Terekeka: fishing, marriage ceremonies (by the way you need at least 50 cows to announce that you want to get married to a girl.)

Aside from all these interesting phenomena and the fact that the town lies just beside the Nile River, I was thrilled to see women walking along carrying what appeared to be hand bags…

Picture 1: a newly married gal attending MCH clinics in Terekeka PHCC

Take a closer look at this picture…Looks like a girl carrying a handbag! But look closer…perhaps you missed it.  Yes there is a baby in it!
In this part of the Southern Sudan babies are carried in hides and skins of goats…very innovative!

A Happy New Year!

JEN is going to keep working on our project sincerely and carefully, assisted by warm support by all supporters.

How was the last year for you?

People in Southern Sudan suffered from many problems. Conflict in opinions between the South and the North Government caused further antagonism concerning the result of the national census. Even in the South, many armed conflicts occurred between tribes and fought over domestic animals. In addition, unsteady governmental situation of the neighboring country made the lives of returnees even worse.

The first general election will be held in April this year, which is very important for the referendum to be held in 2011. JEN will try its best to prevent further confusions and to assist many people to lead peaceful lives.

Cutting one’s hair means….

With the support from Japan Platform and all supporters, JEN has been assisting the hygiene education to school children in Southern Sudan.  Here is a story about a child who has received the hygiene education.

“I did not understand why my parents were eager to cut my hair” told Robani Dada, a 14-year-old boy. “I misunderstood that my parents try to do something with bad intentions, but now I understand the reason.  It is not hygienic at all to leave my hair uncut and long, as it might breed worms and dirty.”

Thanks to the hygienic education offered by JEN, children have learned the meaning of cleanliness, such as cleaning a house, cutting one’s nail, washing one’s clothes….
　

My Reflective Experience since October 2009

The past two months of working with JEN has been an extremely enriching experience for me as well as a reflective account of my recent work experience in South Sudan.  I could not help but marvel at the huge difference of culture and environment among the Sudanese people.  Having lived and worked previously in Wau/Raga Western Bahr El Ghazal, it was the use of Arabic that stunned(?) me.

Communities in Central Equatoria rarely speak Arabic, instead preferring to use local language ( mainly Bari)  or English. Surprising for me equally was the fact that everyone seemed to understand and  speak English, which makes communication a lot easier.

This is also reflected in the quality of JEN’s activities on ground. During one of my field visits, I came across young girls fetching water at a water point in a school (installed by JEN but serving about 700 households in 4 nearby villages) cleaning their Jerry cans with sand.  They did it so vigorously as though in competition I was prompted to ask them why.  They told me that this was meant to ensure that water was not contaminated and that it reached home in the same safe condition as it was when collected at the borehole.  They said they learnt all this from JEN’s hygiene education programmes.

Field work and especially movement from one place to another can be complex, tiring, and stressful, but by realizing the impact our projects are having on ground, it becomes motivating, challenging, and renews my energies to want to do more.

Working with  Japanese people for the first time has equally made me adopt the culture of hard work hence I am slowly but surely becoming a Japanese!

A former mine-detector dog at work

Let me introduce a dog, who used to detect and remove mines, as a member in the JEN Sudan office. This dog  has shown her remarkable capability as a guard.

Her name is Kim, a former mine detector, and used to belongin an American company named "RONKO" in the mine detecting business. .  She was probably born in Europe (perhaps Belgium), and chosen as a mine-detector dog, thanks  to her intelligence and amiable nature. She underwent a special training for 2 years and was brought, together with other mine-detector dogs, to Africa, several thousands miles away from her home country.

Food supply to Kim offered by "RONKO" is lessening recently, but she still works very hard for JEN, both as a guard and as a moodmakerto cheer up JEN members. In addition, it seems that she doesn't confine her job to a guard only recently.  We can see her work at a desk, as shown in the picture.

At present, 4 people including the local staffs, live and work in the office both day and night.  Office staffs have to keep mental stability to achieve hard work every day, under circumstances where security is not fully assured.  Therefore, Kim's role to cheer up staff members is indeed very important.

Unusual excuse to avoid a meeting

Hello everyone. My name is Philip and I have just transferred to the JEN office in Juba from London England.

One of my first assignments was to visit our school building project sites and meet with the local community leaders. As JEN is working hard to make sure our projects will benefit local people for a long time, it is very important to make sure that they are involved in all decisions and participate as much as possible so that they feel the school really belongs to them. But for me, this means lots of meetings.

In Sudan, we must expect the unexpected to happen. So when I arrived at the village for the arranged meeting, I was not completely surprised when some of the people were absent from the meeting. However, when they told me that the reason was because they had gone to battle my mouth must have been wide open in astonishment! In fact, they had simply gone to protect the area where their land borders another community, as there had been some disagreements between young people from the neighbouring district. I am pleased to say that nobody was hurt. However, when I had arranged the meeting, I had not expected to see bows and arrows. Indeed, it was the most unusual reason for cancelling a meeting that I have experienced so far.

At least our job here is Juba is never boring.

New Members at Juba Office

JEN has been centering its activity on the main projects, water sanitation project and education project.  In developing these projects, the role assumed by local staffs is indispensably important.  It is very difficult for a very few Japanese staffs to accomplish such big projects solely by themselves.

Recently, JEN received new members coming from various countries.  Elizabeth from Kenya, is now in charge of Water Sanitation project.  She has had a long-term experiences of working for NGOs, and has been a specialist in the field of hygiene education.  Another new comer is Philip from the United Kingdom, and is now in charge of Education project.  He also has rich experiences of working in various areas of the world.

JEN office members, reinforced by new reliable members. will continue to do our best to carry out our the projects fruitfully.

Five days before leaving office

  Sudan's bitter, 22-year long civil war ended in 2005. Many people returned home from both domestic and overseas areas, and have started restoring and rebuilding their old lives.

  JEN has developed the support activity in Lainya, where intensive battles between the Governmental force and SPLA(Sudan People Liberation Army)were fought. The SPLA  also had its strategic base here, and most of the streets and town areas were turned to battlefields. Many had to evacuate the town, so as not to be involved in the war.

  Since 2007, JEN has supported returnees to restore thier lives.  The number of people in Lainya district has increased over these two years, and many newly opended shops can be seen all over the town. An improved distribution system has brought about increase in commodities in the market.

  In addition, conditions on the streets has gradually improved, as well as hinterlands have being cultivated for agricultural use.  Many tucles (houses made out of local materials) have been built on areas where there were no houses.

  I have had a very satisfying but challenging experience, working with local staff and people through sharing the thoughts and working with them for these two years since I  took charge of the progmamme.  Now I have only five days left before leaving the office, and it feels very odd when I think about my time here, and that I will never again see any of the places, roads and faces that I have come to know so well.
(By Ayako Wakano, Juba Office Programme Office)

A Night in Africa

JEN has been providing school children with hygiene education by visiting some schools in Morobo, located in the border region of, Southern Sudan.

Morobo is full of nature, and people in this region have lived simple and peaceful lives for many years. They use sanitary facilities comprising of various grasses and reeds, as well as drinking the river water.  Locals claim it is safe to do so and does not taste too bad! If outsiders were to drink　it everyday however, they might suffer from a stomachache problems!

Here, time seems to pass as gently and slowly as the Stream of Nile River.  It contrasts strikingly with energy and movement shown of the Sudanese people!

At night, the sky is so clear that it is lit up by the stars. You can see The Milky Way as if it were a cloud floating in the sky.  In the middle of the night during summer, summer star, the Scorpion clear, and at dawn, the winter star, the Orion and the Cassiopeia are very visible.

The beauty of nature is not something to be taken for granted、 ,　and　JEN feels　that　it　is　an　important　part　of　its　mission　to　educate　those　it　has　access　to　about　the　virtues of respecting and protecting nature.

JEN’s Secret Mission

JEN has assisted returnees that after the 20-year-long exile throughout the civil war.

Participants of the project and local staff have worked for returnees from the neighboring countries and other parts in Sudan.  Persevering efforts made by the local staff is essential to the eventual success of the project.  All staff have worked very hard, and especially Mr. Haire, who has been working in the area with JEN since the Eritrea days, and a truly inspiring leader.

The number of people who flee the strife in Eritrea has increased.  Here in Juba, we meet many people who are from Eritrea. There are restaurants that serve injura, the main staple of Eritrean people.

JEN employed an Eritrean as manager of the School Construction Project.  The artisan, who will turn sixty very soon, spreads his knowledge and skill to young workmen in Sudan.

In fact, this workmanship provided by people from Eritrea is the main part of the Project. Thus, the secret mission of JEN Sudan is to contribute to the development of Southern Sudan, through integrating capacity and knowledge available in Sudan.

Various Types of "Witch Doctor"

This is a story I heard in an elementary school in Central Equatoria, Southern Sudan. As part of hygiene education introduction, students of upper grades worked on research and mapping of their neighborhood. Through the work with the students, I learned, interestingly enough, that in the neighborhood there were people called "Witch Doctors", who are said to cure a sick person with the local medicinal herbs.

All 20 elementary schools that have received JEN's support are located far away from the main roads, and we must drive very bad conditions to get to those schools.  It is almost impossible for people living in those school neighborhoods to go to public clinics and to buy necessary medicine in case of sickness. Given such a situation, generally people take medicinal herbs, and "Witch Doctors" are believed to be professionals in prescribing medicinal herbs.

According to the local JEN staffs, it is said that those "Witch Doctors" can also fix fights between husbands and wives by using the herbs, that they pick up some special herbs to stop the flirtation of a lecherous husband.  Therefore, some think that those "Witch Doctors" as trustless, weird, and they even disregard such people who depend on "Witch Doctors" for remedy.  A driver working for JEN told that he would divorce his wife if she saw a "Witch Doctor".

It was interesting to know that there is a big difference in impression people hold toward "Witch Doctors".

Hardship of Field Work

  I have been in charge of the Admin and finance in Juba office.  In July, I had a chance to visit Kashokeji district, where JEN has been working for and with the local people. I left for the district with the following purposes and anticipationsin my mind:to see hygiene education promoters, who were recently employed, to take part in the preliminary research for the hygiene education in school, andto visit the region near the Ugandan border

  On the very day of departure, however, many unexpected accidents occurred, such as the necessity to arrange the substitute car and the accommodation on the way, because the car got out of order in bad road conditions. Early departure on the next morning enabled me to get to Kashokeji at noon.  After an exhausting trip, it was a great pleasure to see the hygiene education promoters, who seemed so happy to offer hygiene education to school children.

  (picture: A road to Kashokeji, looks like just a grassy plain,    Taken from the car,  July 2009)

  This trip turned out to be a good opportunity to know the hardship of field work. I will keep supporting the local staff working in the field, and will work hard in Juba office so that JEN can give effective support to people in Sudan to improve their lives.

Dance And Frog

  Assisted by supporters and Japan Platform since April 2009, JEN has continued with hygiene education at elementary schools in Morobo district and Kashokeji district, located in Central Equatoria State. Let me show what children can learn through the education.

  As a first step to introduce the hygiene education, children were encouraged to find problems in their daily lives that relate to hygiene education.  For students in 4th grade to 6th grade, they were asked to draw any one scene in his or her daily life. Then, they talked about their drawings, and made a story with 4 drawings.

  The purpose of this work was to let children find the problems concerning water hygiene in their lives. But drawings and stories, written by the children, were full of fresh new ideas, not influenced by the hygiene problems.

  For example, some students drew frogs as main characters in the daily life, and others drew scenes like " catching bees" and " cutting trees ". These are scenes that children feel the most familiar in their daily lives.

  When asked "What do you think is the problem in your everyday life?", a student answered "dance". His reason was that he thought "dance" was closely related to drinking alcohol.

  Though this kind of answers seem at the first place irrelevant to the concerned question, it shows that children think about problems in their daily life very seriously. It was actually a great relief that there were less model answers of hygiene education.

Bacteria Are Spread By Flies....

  Assisted by supporters and the NGO Japan Platform, JEN has continued, since April 2009, hygiene education at elementary schools in both Morobo district and Kashokeji district, located in Central Equatoria State.  At present, we are carrying out preliminary research checking the "hygiene  level" of children and clarifying the reasons why children are reluctant to follow hygienic rules.

  The research results showed that children have their own idea of hygiene manners. For example, some children, who have no toilets in their house believe that "they will not be sick if they leave faeces in the bushland"  This idea might be a combination of things taught by adults and the knowledge that Bacteria is scattered by flies, which they have learned in school.

  Concerning how to relieve diarrhea, the local people have their own beliefs. Diarrhea is very dangerous for them, especially for children, as it might sometimes cause dehydration.  It is said that a patient, in case of emergency, should take water which has similar ingredients to body water. The water is a mixture of a certain quantity of water, sugar and salt.  But some people think that water would not relieve diarrhea. Others think they should add coffee, soil, and mud to the water mix.

  The purpose of JEN projects is not to teach the local children the right knowledge and rules of public hygiene, and to make them follow the rules. Rather, JEN aims to let the children identify problems facing them and solve and analyze those problems independently by themselves.

Solving problems using local materials and methods

  In southern Sudan, we can find a tree named “Neem” everywhere.  A tea made from its leaves is believed to help cure all kinds of diseases because it helps boost the immune system.  It is said that the tea works especially as a prevention and cure for Maｌaｒia which many people in Sudan have often suffered.

  It is said that diseases breed more easily in the rainy season.  Therefore we asked local staff to bring Neem leaves and make tea from it. We took a sip, it was much bitterer than we imagined.  It is no exaggeration to say that the taste was the bitterest we have ever tasted!  When we took one more sip, the strong taste was spread in our mouth again and we feel like needed something sweet immediately.  We thought that the Japanese saying “ a bitter pill has the best effects” truly describes this.  Local people drink this with sugar or honey as it is too bitter.

  Since we know Neem can be easily obtained, we have regularly kept Neem tea in our fridge.  When we feel under the weather we drink Neem tea.  We look after our health following JEN’s policy of solving problems using local materials and methods.

Feces on my face

   JEN organized a ground-breaking ceremony at Somba Primary School on June 10th where we have been assisting their school building construction.

  The construction had started before that day, but people from the Bari tribe, who were among the indigenous ethnic groups in Southern Sudan, suggested JEN to organize a traditional ceremony as something special for the construction workers. Local tribe chiefs, staff from the Education Ministry of the Government of Southern Sudan, and a representative from UNHCR, which is JEN’s partner in the project, all joined the ceremony. 

  The ceremony was held to make awareness how to ensure the safety of the construction workers and the health of the people involved, and it involves animal sacrifice. JEN contributed one goat, corn powder, cooking oil, salt, tomatoes, and a barrel  of locally brewed alcohol as the Bari people are well-known as heavy drinkers!

  Soon after being handed over the goat and other food stuff, the local chief inaugurated the ceremony by offering the animal in sacrifice. He took all the blood from its neck and seeped it into the ground. He also took its feces and urine, add cooking oil onto them and mixed them before placing them on the school building site. Local women kept shouting loudly throughout the ceremony, so as every creature on the ground could hear.   

  Later the tribe chief stopped in front of me, and uttered an incantation. I closed my eyes to listen to it. I opened my eyes when I felt something warm put on my face to find he was putting the sacred feces and urine on me! 

  A government officer told me that the feces on my face would guarantee my safety and good health. Would this animal poo bring me luck? I must admit I was in shock, I was out of my mind while attendants gave their speeches. All I could remember was the unusual smell!.

  It was such an unexpected experience that I was totally at a loss. Gradually, I became happy that my good health was now guaranteed.

Local Residents and Supporters Meet

Ms. Kazuyo Katsuma, a member of “Chabo!” writers group together with the JEN’s Bord members, visited the project sites. For the people in the field, it was their first time to see so many Japanese people at once. Children greeted them with songs of welcome, and enthusiastic messages were delivered from the teachers to Ms. Katsuma and her party.

Roads to the sites are in bad condition and its location is where the assistance is difficult to reach. The local people were able to feel the warm support from Japan more directly by this visit of these Japanese supporters.

Ms. Katsuma’s message of “Let’s plan what to do together ”, hopefully became a  symbol of the first step supporting the peoples’ self-reliance.

Elsewhere, “Else-wise”

Hello everyone.  I am Emi Yamada  and I have just transferred to Juba, the capital of Southern Sudan, after working　for JEN in Pakistan.

In Pakistan, I used to wrap a scarf called the “dupatta” around my head, according to Islamic customs. I thought that in Juba I would be able to dress as I pleased, but the other day, there was an incident where a young woman wearing trousers was arrested. It turns out women living in Juba should wear long skirts . I guess I must give up fashion until I am back in Japan.

Living overseas, during work, what is always  in my mind is  the importance of showing respect to that country’s culture. It is important to readily accept different things and to try to understand and adjust to the culture.

I can’t help but express my surprise at the amount of dust, which is well over my expectations as well as the brown water that runs out of the faucets. But I am trying to gradually adapt myself to this environment and to   put my energy into the projects in Sudan together with all of our staff and I would like to  take this opportunity to request your continuous warm support.

Handover Ceremony

The water and sanitation improvement project carried out since February 2008 for 3 elementary schools in the Lainya County have now been completed, thanks to the Japanese Government and many other supporters. We had a ceremony to handover the borehole and toilets on August 16th. 

During this handover ceremony, 15members of the management committee for the facility maintenance of boreholes and toilets in the 3 elementary schools, as well as the education officer of Lainya County and the official for restoration and development of Southern Sudan, all participated. 5 participants including members of the committee, the education official, the water official, the Central Equatoria State's department of education, and JEN signed official handover documents. 

The education officials of Payam, a smaller administrative unit than a county, as well as administrative officials of Boma, much smaller unit than Payam, were also present at the site.  

From now on, the operation and maintenance of facilities at each school will be assumed by members of the committee. In other cases, where repairs are unable to be addressed by the committee, the local administrative official is responsible. . 

We ended the ceremony wishing the facilities to be operated and maintained properly for a long time to come. 

From Dusk till Dawn, @School

   - Training of the management committee for borehole maintenance (1) -

Currently, the project of Improvement of School Water Sanitation and Hygiene implemented with the cooperation of the Japanese government is reaching its peak. 

Installation of the wells and latrines in the three targeted schools was completed according to schedule, and training for members of the “the management committee for facility maintenance” on the borehole maintenance is now in operation.

When staying in the field, it is necessary to decide where to stay at night.   

Although it isn’t hard to find a lodge in the middle of the town, things aren’t as easy in remote places. 

As the location of training, this time, was at an elementary school about 2 hours from town, we were able to lodge in the school’s classroom. 

The 2 Sudanese staff decided to set up a tent in the classroom and spend the night there, but since I had been suffering from the staff’s awful snoring, I decided to sleep in the car, in a sleeping bag.   

Although it gets pretty cold in the field at this time of year, sleeping in the car turned out to be warmer than I’d expected, and comfortable as well.  I might develop a habit of it!

Farming at the Juba Office

One of my minor joys amongst the busy daily duties is to watch the lettuce, okra and local spices which we planted 3 weeks ago grow. All of our staff had participated from very early in the morning weeding and sowing the seeds of local spices and the seeds of lettuce and okra which I had brought from Japan.

A large portion of vegetables in Sudan are imported from neighbouring countries, such as Uganda. A variety of vegetables (mainly tomato, cabbage, onion and potato) available in Sudan is not as wide as in Japan. In addition, not only is the variety limited, but also the price of the vegetables is similar to that of Japan.

We hope our vegetables that are now about 10cm in height will grow well, so that we can all enjoy beautiful dishes together after the harvest, such as okra curry and lettuce sandwiches.

This is a picture of our staff ploughing the backyard of our office in order to transplant our vegetables.

Traces of War

The road from the Juba office to the project site in Lainya County is often blocked. This is because an international NGO is overseeing the removal of landmines that have been planted in the roadside during the war. Lainya is an area where there were intense battles between the Sudanese army and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army. Therefore, even three years after the end of the war, the people’s lives are threatened by the innumerable neglected landmines and unexploded bombshells that remain hidden. 

In the past, when such road blockages occurred, I was impatient thinking ‘The meeting time at the project site is drawing nearer!’ However, the removal of such landmines is an indispensable component in the revival of Sudan. Therefore, until such tasks are completed, I drink juice, taking a break with the driver and other staff members, waiting patiently until we can drive through again.

New Days

Hello, my name is Etsuko Inomata, and I am in charge of the affairs and management of the Juba office. It has been almost two months since I arrived in Sudan, and I am doing well although I am spending my days in the midst of the unfamiliar intense heat of the afternoons.

Here is Juba, dust covers everything, even my nails, nose and ears. My white clothing has turned brown. My room is also covered in dust and I have had to grow accustomed to this aspect of life.

Before the beginning of the rainy season, the intensity of the heat abated. Time is passing incredibly fast as I am surrounded by cheerful staff. From this point on, I will continue to explore Sudan and report my findings to you.

(PICTURE: Nakamura, a JEN Supporter, visiting the Juba Office)

The Ambassador Visits Juba

Last week, Ambassador Ishii and First Secretary Hasegawa visited the JEN Office in Juba. Presently, with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, JEN is implementing Water Sanitation Improvement projects in Lainya County. In this project, well construction, toilet installation, the establishment of a Water Sanitation Improvement Committee and training for operation management are being completed in three schools in Lainya.

During this particular meeting, the Juba office reported on the progress of the project, and explained related matters of security. In addition, there was an explanation on the life in Juba and opinions were exchanged with regards to future plans in Sudan. JEN would like to continue to continue our projects in Sudan by continuing to interact with people and organizations from the embassy or Ministry of Foreign Affairs and would like to thank them very much for their visit.

A Heartfelt Ceremony

Thanks to both the support of you and the Japan Platform, our project that started in April last year was completed on January 31st, 2008.

By the end of January, we had been able to install wells and school sanitation facilities in five schools, which had the highest needs. To celebrate we conducted a handing-over ceremony in which community members, facility management members, the community chief, the school principal, local water/sanitation workers, education affiliates, and the Commissioner of Lainya were all present.

The Commissioner stated, ‘There have been many NGOs active in Lainya, but JEN is the first one to formally hold a handing-over ceremony such as this one. This is truly appreciated’. He continued, ‘we are extremely pleased that you have completed the work we agreed on together without abandoning the project partway through. While we hope JEN will expand and continue their activities elsewhere, we also hope JEN will return to Terekeka!’ We were overjoyed to receive such kind words; it was a special day and these positive comments filled my heart with joy.

At the Height of the Dry Season in Sudan

The JEN Overseas Office strives to assist those returning to Southern Sudan by improving the hygiene and sanitation conditions in two counties in the Central Equatoria state, where there are a large number of returnees. In addition to this, there are also hygienic education initiatives in place to further spread awareness about hygiene and sanitation issues.

It is the peak of the dry season here in South Sudan. However, in three months time, the rainy season will arrive and will continue for the following six months. We are only able to advance our construction efforts during the dry season when the ground is stable, and therefore it is a very busy time for our local engineer.

Early Monday morning, the engineer travels for three hours to the project site. He returns to the office in Juba on Saturday, only to depart for the project site again on Sunday. Day and night, the engineer monitors the progress of the construction, overseeing its progress to completion.

Unfortunately, this is the life of the JEN engineer; he is rarely able to return home even though he was recently married!

(PICTURE: Upper Left: Holding discussions with the community, Lower Right: The Community Leader with the JEN engineer)

The ‘Well Machine’

Hello everyone!

JEN has been digging water wells throughout our project sites around the world, but one aspect of this that has not received widespread attention is the ‘well machine’ that installs these wells. I would like to take this opportunity to explain how this machine works.

  All the water wells that JEN is presently digging in Southern Sudan are 80m to 100m deep. In order to dig to such depths, the machine often comes across extremely dense layers of rocks and clay. The machine crushes through the layers of rock and clay, and like a rocket taking off, lifts massive amounts of sand up into the air. Water then floods into the dried layers of clay.

However, at this stage, the water is undrinkable. The machine must continue to crush further through layers of rock and clay until it reaches depths of more than 100m underground and finally arrives at water that is clean enough for use.

Today is Cleaning Day

On the morning of 14th Jan 2008, our office security guard suddenly started cleaning the area in front of our office.  He was unusually serious when he explained: “If the army comes and I am not cleaning, they will pick me up!”  Since it seemed so urgent, I gave him a broom and a plastic bag and let him clean up around our office. I did not dare to ask for more details at this point.
(Picture; the rubbish everywhere in the town of Jubbah)

Later I asked the guard the reason why he had to clean today.  He told me that the day before there had been a radio announcement informing everyone that tomorrow would be ‘Public Cleaning Day’. That morning, some of our local staff were also stopped by the South Sudanese Army, the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA), and asked: “Where are you going?” “Why are you not cleaning?”  If they had not had any excuse or business to do, the army would have taken them to the town market directly where they would have had to join the cleaning event.
(Picture; The guard, cleaning up) 

  I was impressed, because this Public Cleaning Day was done thoroughly using combined efforts even with the army. Thanks to this day, the road in front of our office is now very clean.  In fact it is the cleanest I have ever seen it since I came here 4 months ago.
(Picture; the clean road in front of our office)

New Year in Africa

Happy New Year!

Thanks to your support, we were able to start the New Year with our newly established JEN office here in Sudan.

Last year, we were able to both improve and spread awareness about water and hygiene conditions.

By the time we complete our projects, wells and bathroom facilities will have been installed in five schools, which had the highest need, in the counties of Terekeka and Lainya in Central Equatoria in South Sudan.  Through water sanitation and hygiene education in both these states, we were able to promote healthy lifestyle practices to 3,000 people to prevent waterborne diseases.

Just as in 2007, we hope to continue our efforts to improve water sanitation and hygiene conditions with your assistance, as well as that of the local people here in Sudan. Throughout this coming year, we hope to be motivated by your kind generosity that reaches us here in Sudan, where it is warm all year round. 

I would like to extend my warmest wishes to you for the New Year. Thank you for your support, as always.

The Water Project is in its Final Stages: Part 1

Hygiene education that we have been conducting in Terekeka and Lainya County of Central Equatoria state is coming to a close. At the same time, we are starting a training program to discuss with the community members on how to maintain and repair wells in areas where JEN is constructing wells and latrines. 

From December 9th, JEN went to Terekeka County to prepare for the training on wells, and met ten of the local community members, in addition to those who generously provided us with space for training.

Mr. Cosmas who has put together an NGO in Lainya County, and is also a government water sanitation official and Mr. Amule, a member of that NGO, will be conducting the training.  These two people are very knowledgeable on wells, and have work experience in NGOs that work closely with water related issues.  The training started from Monday the 10th in Terekeka County. 

The Water Sanitation Management Committee Training has Begun!

Training has started on November 19th for the “Water Sanitation Management Committee”, which was formed recently. 

This committee will undertake a supervisory role in the operation and maintenance of the wells and toilets of the five schools currently under construction.  

The water sanitation officials of the local administration will be teaching mechanisms and maintenance methods of the pumps used to fix the wells, as well as teaching the importance of maintaining sanitary conditions in the surrounding environment.  In addition, they will start building fences to keep animals away from the wells, as well as a cleaning duty system of the toilets at each school. 

From now on, various meetings will be held among members of the Water Sanitation Management Committee in order to maintain better sanitation of wells and toilets. 

Well-Digging Has Begun

  JEN started well-digging operations in Lainya County on November 6th.

That day, the latest model excavator, owned by a Kenyan vendor, arrived at the target school: Loka Round Elementary School. Excavation was started at the point that had been assigned and checked by the management committee.

With the local people and students watching, water was found on the very first day of excavation, and everyone cheered!  Tests will be conducted to determine whether enough water can be drawn from the well, and hand-pumps will be installed if the results are good. 

Increased Demand for Engineers

   Currently, as a part of the project to improve sanitary environment, construction of toilet facilities are now underway at five elementary schools.

Skilled and capable engineer is a must in these types of projects.  While the actual construction will be taken care of by the construction companies, engineers from JEN play a critical role in making sure that the construction project is proceeding as planned, including whether or not (1) the facilities are constructed strictly following the plan, or (2) the quality of the materials are satisfactory. 

After the construction of toilet facilities has started, the engineers from JEN are working hard to monitor the progress by going around each of the five schools at least once a week. 

A busy week is expected to continue until December, when the facilities are expected to be completed.

A Borderless World in Sudan

In Southern Sudan, which has experienced the longest period of internal war among the African nations, it is more likely to see goods and products from surrounding nations rather than those originated from Sudan itself.

For instance, currency.  We often see currencies of neighboring countries used in Sudan’s markets; in Lainya county, which is close to the border of Uganda, the currency of Uganda is widely used.  Also, states near Ethiopia use Ethiopian currencies, and the same is said to be true for states near Kenya.

Another example is the use of mobile phone.  The most popular and most accessible mobile phone company in Juba, Gemtel, which has its origin in Uganda, uses the international phone code of Uganda for its cell phone numbers. 

Therefore, if you wish to communicate with a Sudan person having a cell phone number with Sudan’s international phone code, the communication will be considered as an international phone call even if the two persons are physically located inside the same city of Juba.

A Committee to Manage Wells and Toilets Has Been Established

A Committee to Manage Wells and Toilets Has Been Established

Here is the update on the project to improve water sanitation conditions at schools; this has been fully supported by the Japan Platform and other supporters.

JEN will be undertaking the construction of toilet facilities and drilling of wells at five schools at Lainya and Terekeka counties.  Prior to this, in three schools at Lainya, a committee to manage water sanitation facilities has been established consisting of school staff members and local residents.

The committee will be in charge of holding meetings between the school members and local residents with regard to the determination of the location of drilling and construction sites and providing necessary services to local construction/drilling companies.  In addition the committee will also be responsible for maintenance of the facilities after the completion of the construction.  JEN will be in charge of undertaking training sessions for the maintenance of toilet facilities and fixing of wells.

Upon the establishment of the committee, a cooperation agreement has been signed between the committee and JEN.  The officers from the education and water department of the County also attended the signing ceremony.  Immediately following the signing, a discussion has been held with regard to the location of well drilling and construction of toilet facilities.

That’s “Made in Japan”

In Juba, there are a lot of Japanese cars.  Not only the cars of UN institutions and NGOs, but also the buses and other vehicles in the city used by Juba citizens are secondhand cars imported from Japan. 
It seems that for a car to be imported from Japan is a kind of status symbol.  There are many cars with the names of the organizations and shops of the previous Japanese owners, printed on the side of the car. 

For example, “xx-pre-school”, “xx-swimming school”, “xx-glass store”, “xx-transportation” etc…  There are also trucks that make announcements in Japanese such as “Back Shimasu (this truck will reverse),” accompanied with electric noises when they reverse.
Just think: cars previously owned by people reading this blog might be running through Juba right now, supporting the lives of its citizens. 

A Soup Based on Kelp or Bonito?

Hello everyone.  This is Wakano from Juba office in the Southern Sudan; I came to this office on September 5th, and one month has passed since then.  Southern Sudan is now in the wet season.

Although I did expect this before coming to Sudan, what was most shocking was that even the water in this office is not transparent.  The degree of intransparency is such that it is as if we were looking at a kelp or bonito soup in Japan.  This is because the water used for showers, toilets, sinks and other purposes are all taken originally from the Nile river.   

Once every week, a water tank truck comes to the office.  We use the water transported by the truck.  Water is a must for our lives; we need to take a shower, wash dishes, wash toilets, boil the water to drink and to cook food.

The activity of JEN at South Sudan is to prevent diseases arising from water through the construction of toilets, drilling of wells, and general education about sanitation.

In Japan, we can safely use waters as it is.  The safety of water is taken for granted by all Japanese people.  This, however, has not been the case for Sudan.  Fully understanding the hardship that the Sudan people had to undergo without the safety of water, I am determined to lead the project as much as possible.  I will do my best to improve the quality of live using safe water, and to encourage people to know more about the necessity of having a good quality of life with safe water.

The Economy of Juba: Part 2

Last week, we reported that the majority of goods in Juba are imported from Uganda, which has its border with Sudan in the south.   Because of this, the prices of goods go up as we go from South to North.

Our project location, Lainya, is located south of Juba, and Terekeka, is located north of Juba.  Therefore, the prices of goods go up in the order of Lainya, Juba, and Terekeka.  For instance, the price of a bottle of Coke will cost two Sudan Ponds (SP) at Lainya, while three at Juba and four at Terekeka. 

However, there are some exceptions such as sheep and goats.

Since people at Terekeka earn their livelihood by nomadic herding, there are ample sheep and goats in the place.  Therefore, sheep and goats can be bought at around 60SP in Terekeka, but in Juba, these cost 100SP on average at Juba.

The Economy of Juba (Part 1)

In Juba, the prices of goods are rising.

The reason is roads.  The majority of goods in Juba are from Uganda, which has its border with Sudan in the south.   In a wet season like now, the road condition gets worse due to series of rains.  This prevents large vehicles such as trucks from using main traffic roads.  Therefore, we can see a severe shortage in the supply of goods, which in turn results in rising prices.

The county of Lainya, where JEN has its project sites, is also along one of the main traffic roads.   Because of the bad road conditions, accessing the project sites has become increasingly difficult.

As you can see in the picture, a large number of large trucks are making long queues.  Sometimes we meet a driver whose truck has been stuck for more than two weeks.

The government is trying to cope with this situation by making efforts to pave the road, but because of the weather condition, this seems to be in a deadlock.

We hope that the road condition will improve as soon as possible for the benefit of the stability of Juba’s economy.

The Puppet Show

With regard to the sanitary education that we are currently implementing, we are trying hard to make the students learn about sanitation through fun.  One effort is the puppet show.

The dolls that are used in the show are hand-made by the teachers themselves using sponges of mattresses and old clothing that they can get from nearby places.  The same is true of the story; the teachers create their own story based on the experiences learnt from the students, and focus on the points where the students seem to understand least.

Since the puppet show is somewhat special and not usual here, not only the students, but also people from the community enjoy watching the show.

By doing these shows, we believe that the important messages regarding sanitation will be spread to the community with the school being the distribution core.

The Fashion of Mundari Women

  Mundari women living in Terekeka county, unlike others who live in the South of Juba, still enjoy daily dress ups wearing traditional clothes, as most of them spent their days inside Sudan, even while internal conflict was taking place.

For instance, the cloth that they wear is a mixture of bright and unique colors such a red or black, and they wear skirts with various patterns.  On their elbows and necks, both men and women wear black rings made of rubber, and they wear colorful earring made of beads.  Also, all of the babies have a “V” shaped character carved intentionally into their forehead, and at the age of ten, all children’s lower front teeth will be removed.  Because of these physical characteristics, it is easy to distinguish Mundari people from other people. 

In other parts of Sudan, with the end of the internal conflict, they are observing a return of refugees.   As a result, less and less people now are capable of maintaining traditions that have been passed over generations after generations for a long time.  While peace has returned to Sudan, it is sad to see that the traditions are now disappearing.

Take Your Hands and Let’s Go for a Walk

I visited a school called Nyengele in the Lainya county the other day.

To reach Lainya, it takes approximately 3 hours by car from Juba, the capital of Southern Sudan.  The school is located about 1.5 hours from Lainya following winding roads in the mountain.

Since we are seeing much rain these days because of the wet season, the car I was riding in actually got stuck, and I had to walk the last thirty minutes to school.

The local staff I went with stayed together to free the car, so I went to the school by myself.

After some struggles, I reached the school.  Everyone was so surprised to see a foreigner like me walking alone to the school, and they welcomed me with loud voices and songs.

After I finished what I had to do at the school, and was about to return to the car by foot, the teacher said to the students “Let’s walk and sing together and send him off!”.  Thereafter, the students were kind enough to walk along with me singing for twenty minutes.

It was a very happy moment for me to be surrounded by the songs of the students.

The Sanitation Song

  For the sanitation education currently being employed, JEN is teaching the importance of sanitation to children using a ‘Sanitation Songs.’ 

Here, I shall introduce one song written by JEN’s sanitation promoter. 

“Let’s all use toilets!
Let’s all drink clean water!
For your health’s sake don’t ‘take care of your business’ in the fields!
Let’s wash our hands before we eat!
Let’s wash our hands after we use the toilet!
Let’s work together to keep our surroundings clean!” 

It is a pity that I cannot deliver the melody to you at this time, because the message gets through better when it’s sung!!   

Now it’s common to see children singing JEN’s original Sanitation Songs in villages where sanitation education has been implemented. 

Language through the history of civil war

   JEN operates in Central Equatoria State where many languages are spoken. 

First, there is the local language, Bari.  Depending on the tribe, other languages such as Mundari, Kuku, and Kakuwa are also spoken in this state.  These languages are so similar that in Central Equatoria State, even tribes speaking different languages can communicate with each other. 

The second language is an Arabic language called Juba Arabic.  Because during the civil war, Juba used to be under control of the Sudan government military forces from Khartoum, many people speak this type of Arabic which has its origins in Juba.  However, there are very few people that can read and or write this language. 

The third language is English.  Many people speak English after having fled to Uganda as refugees during the civil war, and receiving education there. 

It is very useful for us that many people can speak English, but it also gives us strong mixed feelings to think that this results from the people of Southern Sudan been turned upside down through their histories of civil wars. 

Toothbrushes

In Southern Sudan, I have learnt that some of the common items used in every day life for me are not so common, and are only available in the big cities.

"Toothbrushes" are just one example.

Away from the cities many people use branch sticks as their toothbrushes, just as shown in the picture.

By biting the tip of the branch stick, fibers like a brush come out and the natural toothbrush is ready for using.

Such is the wisdom of the local people.

My Birthday in Juba

A few days ago, I celebrated my birthday in Juba.

I was doing my normal daily work at the office, when I suddenly heard from behind me the local staff and the head of the office in Juba start singing Happy Birthday. They also surprised me with a cake, which I thought to be impossible to get around here!

They looked all over Juba for a cake, and found the only restaurant that can make it. Since they couldn't find any cake candles, they stuck a thick one like those used when there is a blackout in the town.

This homemade-like birthday present will make this day a very memorable one for me.

A long way to work. Part 3

When our four hour boat ride ended, we learned that we still had another six hours to go to Juba. We rapidly changed our plans. We got off the boat, and decided to go by the passenger bus. So, after being tossed around in the bus for about two hours, we finally arrived in Juba.

This field trip has been a demonstration of the difficulties we often face just to access Terekeka. At remote locations where access is difficult it is hard to deliver assistance, and thus it is in such places that JEN has taken on the mission of providing assistance.

We guarantee the delivery of our assistance but also deliver it with safety.  We place our staff’s safety as our top priority and we design our operations to deliver assistance in a flexible way. For those who are in need, we reach out to assist.

A long journey to work. Part 2

After we returned to Juba, we hurried to come up with a back up plan. We decided to try to reach our target by chartering a speedboat along the Nile River.

We departed Juba early the next morning, and after an uninterrupted three hour trip on an express boat we arrived in Terekeka. On the way there we were relieved as the charter speedboat proved to be a great idea; however we had a bit of trouble on the way back as we chose to ride on a passenger boat.

Even after the departure time, scheduled for 8:00 in the morning, there was no hint of departure, and we were left waiting intently. The boat finally departed after 12:00 but unfortunately, it began to rain only thirty minutes after departing.

After a while a storm began with thunder and strong wind, and our boat was rocking badly. We were desperately trying to avoid the rain, and at the same time not capsize the boat! After a long struggle, we arrived in a town along the way and realized that four hours had already passed. It honestly felt like we were lucky to be alive.
It seemed likely that it would still take another six hours from this town to Juba

To be continued.

A long journey to work. Part 1.

The other day we visited Terekeka, one of JEN’s operational locations. The road between JEN’s office in Juba and Terekeka is in a very poor condition, and with the rainy season underway, we anticipated difficulties on the way. We were right. The road to Terekeka was very bad, and misfortunes followed…

On the day we left, the car we had planned to rent had not returned from a previous trip to Terekeka, so we could not use it. Hurriedly, we tried to find another car instead so we could continue (at this time, JEN’s cars had not arrived yet, so we were relying on rental cars).

Unfortunately, rental cars are not widely available here. By the time we had found a car strong enough to stand the road conditions, and we were ready to depart from Juba, it was past midday, and we were already half a day behind schedule.  On that day, the road was in a really bad condition, and on the way there were news reports that many cars had got stuck in the mud. We decided that continuing by land would be dangerous, so we turned around and headed back to Juba.

To be continued…

Heavily Viewed Billboards, Part 1: Job Advertising Information

A few days ago I have arrived in Sudan, and the search for new staff began. 

In Japan, we would normally inform applicants of this via phone, mail or Internet.  However, exchanging information in Southern Sudan, which lacks regular telephone and Internet services, is quite, in fact almost, 180 degrees different.

The billboard in front of the UN Office is the most popular, and therefore it will be used.  The process begins by placing a job advertisement on this billboard.  Those searching for jobs come by everyday to check the advertisements. 

When they find an advertisement they like, they tear off a strip of the ad containing the job information and return home. 　So, we keep making and posting new ads on the billboard.

Once the selection of applicants has been completed the most suitable candidates are called in for an interview.  Again, to do this, we will inform the candidates who are to be interviewed via a notice on the billboard advising of the interview date and time. 

Using this process the candidates will come in for an interview as per the notice.  The billboard is extremely valuable in that it allows us to communicate effectively with people.

Opening Operations in The Sudan

From April 2007, JEN started school sanitation projects in the South of Sudan funded by the Japan Platform.

After twenty years of civil war, the peace agreement in January 2005 granted the autonomy of the South Sudan.  Consequently, 3.7 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) and 350 thousand refugees started to return to their place of origin.

Many refugees from Uganda and The Congo are returning to the State of Central Equatoria in the South Sudan.  JEN has decided to start school sanitation projects in Terekeka and Lainya, two counties in that State especially in need.  Our team will distribute original teaching materials on hygiene education to 78 schools (10,675 children).  The staff will then use the materials for children’s lessons and teacher training.  We are also planning to organize theatre workshops that involve both teachers and children to learn through active interaction.  To set this up successfully, follow-up training for teachers is essential to our principles of community-wide development.       

Furthermore many schools in the State of Central Equatrea do not have proper school buildings.  Children are frequently infected with diarrhoea due to unclean water and a lack of toilets and water sources in their school.  JEN will set up basic sanitary systems (drinking wells, water pumps, toilets and drainage gutters) in schools in order to improve the children’s health.  We will also establish a management committee at each school for sustainable maintenance of these systems by teachers.

JEN appreciates your kind understanding and contributions for our new project in The Sudan.