April 16, 2004
Issue 19 
FEATURE ARTICLES

RESPECT Taiwan Spreads the Word

by Julia & Yu-shun
RESPECT Taiwan

RESPECT Taiwan is working with other RESPECT affiliates and other organizations from around the world, such as iEARN, on the "RESPECT & Refugees Project."

Since early February 2003, with constant assistance and information provided by Mr. Marc Schaeffer, RESPECT's International Coordinator, we have implemented the first step to raise awareness of refugee issues among Taiwanese youth and adults. More than 10 volunteer teachers assist 284 students in Taiwan participate in a snail-mail pen-pal letter exchange with refugee students. more >>

Reintegrating Child
Soldiers in Uganda

Dear Mr. Schaeffer,

Thank you for putting us in contact with Tom Fred Obonyo, RESPECT's representative in Northern Uganda.

[…]We are focusing our research on the obstacles facing non-governmental organizations (NGOs) currently working in Uganda to rehabilitate/reintegrate child soldiers.

Sincerely,
W. Alejandro Sanchez, Sandra Campella, Kristen Faudree, Patrick Breiding, and Michelle Santos

Our questions:

  1. What are the main challenges non-governmental organizations (NGOs) face when focusing on child soldier issues in Uganda?
  2. What is the relationship of the government of Uganda to the NGOs?
  3. In your opinion, what can be done to build relations between the Ugandan government and NGOs?
  4. What kind of care and concern have the children who have escaped from the Lord's Resistance Army received to begin a reintegration process back into society?
  5. What has been particularly successful in reintegrating child soldiers?
  6. What still needs to be done to reintegrate child soldiers?

Mr. Obonyo's Answers

ANNOUNCEMENTS

RESPECT Launches e-Store

by Simon Dewerson
e-Store Project Coordinator

Today, RESPECT International is proud to announce the launch of the new RESPECT e-Store at http://e-store.respectrefugees.org. The e-Store project began last summer and provides a channel for refugee communities to sell locally produced ethnic goods to customers in the west. We have had a couple of refugee communities show interest in participating, but a lack of funding, and poor communications have made it difficult. Our efforts will continue in this area and we hope, with the launch of the e-Store, more refugee communities will be interested. more >>


PHOTO GALLERY

 

Students from Liberia and Sierra Leone
Students gathered April 7th, 2004 at a joint meeting of RESPECT Sierra Leone and RESPECT Liberia. The meeting was hosted by RESPECT Sierra Leone and iEARN Sierra Leone.

 

AFFILIATES

RESPECT Mano River Union

At a joint meeting in Freetown Sierra Leone, RESPECT Sierra Leone and RESPECT Liberia will be joined by RESPECT Guinea to form the RESPECT Mano River Union. The purpose of the Union is to highlight problems within the region and to be able to speak with one voice. Plans are being made for a musical festival to be hosted by RESPECT Guinea to raise funds for the new Union.


As in any newsletter or magazine, RESPECT e-zine is committed to striving for interesting articles and announcements concerning refugee issues all around the world.

If you have any suggestions or would like to contribute an article, contact Will Wallace, the E-zine Senior Editor at respectezine@respectrefugees.org.

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