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 Islamic Spirit in the Festival of Sacrifice

In Jordan, the five consecutive days following December 18th are holidays celebrating the Festival of Sacrifice.

For the Festival of Sacrifice, each Muslim family is expected to offer one sheep, cow or camel as a sacrifice if it is economically feasible for the family to do so. This custom has its roots in a historical story. In this story, the Prophet Ibrahim offered his son to Allah, as a sacrifice yet Allah understanding the strength of his religious devotion, told him he should sacrifice a lamb instead. 

Sheep are the main choice of sacrifice in Iraq and Jordan. According to the laws of Islam, the family should keep one third of the sacrifice, give another third of it to their relatives, and give the last third to their poor neighbors.  Billboards advertising sheep could be seen all over Amman before the Festival of Sacrifice. An organization, Um Ali, collects donations from these billboards in order to provide meals to the poor. Um Ali derives its name from Prince Ali’s mother, the late princess Alia, wife of the former King Hussein. It is clear that Islam places a strong emphasis on making contributions to the poor.

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.

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.

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.