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FEATURE ARTICLES
Education Without Borders in Nigeria
by Dr Malik Ashaq Raza
Who interviewed Raphael Ogar Oko, Country
Coordinator of
Teachers Without Borders (TWB), Nigeria.
Q. What is the essence of partnership between RESPECT-TWB toward
refugees' welfare?
A. TWB and RESPECT are both non profits dedicated to the improvement
of human well being. We have education as a common interest, and working together can
really create more opportunities for refugees and Internally Displaced People (IDPs)
in Nigeria. The essence in a way is to provide educational opportunities to refugees
and IDPs in Nigeria. Also, our partnership can enhance the prospect of rehabilitation
of refugees and IDPs in Nigeria. We desire to work together to feed the mind, feed
the body and let the voice of refugees and IDPs be heard - and to provide linkage
opportunities for IDPs.
more>>
Heroes Nurtured for a New Generation of African Youth
by Mengly Taing
Kwame Eyiah is an English-language teacher and administrator at the Community Health
International (CHI) in Conakry, Guinea who has made an effort to help his students find
pen-pals.
CHI, formerly known as the Community Health Training Center, opened in October 2001.
Dr. Benjamin S. Taylor and Dr. Patrick S. Kamara opened the center because there was
a need to train refugees as community health workers. The CHI, which works mostly
with refugees from Liberia and Sierra Leone, is in need of financial and material
support. Last year, six of 25 enrolled students dropped out because they could not
afford to pay the school fees.
According to the CHI, "Each year hundreds of refugees graduate from high school
with no prospects of further education due to lack of finance and also due to the
language barrier." The refugees live on less than $1 a day and that does not include
money to pay for medical bills. "The girls, most vulnerable, roam the streets …
[and are] at the mercy of men who offer them little or nothing for their ‘night
services'."
more>>
"Bead for Life" Helps Develop a Community
by Emily Moreton
in discussion with Fred Tom Obonyo,
ACDA Coordinator,
RESPECT Uganda Country Coordinator
It's only been running for a month, and it still faces many problems, but the Agoro
Community Development Association's (ACDA) bead project already involves fifty-five women
in four project groups, and looks like it will continue growing.
The project began when David Monahan, involved with RESPECT pen pals in Canada, contacted
Bead for Life in an effort to raise funds for ACDA. Fred Tom, Coordinator of RESPECT in
Uganda, and three other members of his team met with Bead for Life in Kampala.
While the project is not officially associated with
Bead for Life, the organization has helped RESPECT Ghana get a similar project started.
And with the interest of the ACDA Women's Group the project has taken off.
more>>
PHOTO GALLERY
Women making jewellery as part of the RESPECT Ghana bead project.
Some of the jewellery produced by the bead project in Northern Uganda.
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
NetAid Application
Deadline Extended
The application deadline for both the NetAid Global Action Awards and NetAid Global
Citizen Corps has been extended to June 15th. You can apply online at:
http://www.netaidadmin.org/.
NetAid Global Action Awards offer $5,000 and a trip to New York City. NetAid Global
Citizen Corps is building a youth movement to fight global poverty.
Letters From Ghana Arrive
The first package of letters was received from
Buduburam Refugee Camp in Ghana. We hope to be able to introduce these
refugee students to new pen-pals before the end of the school year. Thanks
to the efforts of Anthony Barlee and Fred Ayifli.
AFFILIATES
Oatley Leo Club
by Neha Bhat
In an interview, Ms. Jessica Veit, Director of the Oatley's
Leo Club, Australia talks about its fundraising and charity
activities.
The Club became a part of the International Lions Club in
November 2001. The Leo Club is sponsored as well as is a sub-division
of the International Lions Club. It is a youth group that seeks to
engage young men and women between the age of 13 and 25 in charity
activities as well as fundraising to help finance local community
projects. The current membership of the Club includes members between
the age group of 17 to 21 years.
more>>
CREATIVITY
Refugees' sufferings
by Dr. M. Ashaq Raza
Homelessness is the biggest punishment for anybody and is the root cause of all sufferings. Lack
of food, education, medical facilities, communication and other comforts make life more difficult
and vulnerable to a variety of consequences. Life becomes a real burden when the new environment
refuses to adopt these homeless people and becomes more dangerous than that of one they left,
over security and safety grounds. Temporary refugees' camps furnished with all sorts of human
rights violations, sexual abuses, killings, abduction and variety of crimes become their destiny.
Their return to homelands and life realities take shape of unseen distant dreams for them.
This is the first of three articles highlighting the reflections of refugees and non-refugees.
Wars, conflicts, natural hazards, and poor governance, all contribute to the escalating number of
refugees around the world, particularly in Africa. The international community has to do more for
this ever increasing population of ill-fated people.
Here are some of the first reflections from refugees and non-refugees students about the people
like us whom we call refugees:
The River
by Taylor
I'm a river flowing over in Kenya
Oh no! Look at you, you're a skinny little runt.
Oh hi there, bye there. You look so sad. Why?
We had to leave our home, our stuff, our food.
You would be sad too.
But you're not me and I'm not you. Oh I'm sorry
I shouldn't have asked. I bet you'll be free someday
To roam in the forest,
to go on the beach,
to live in Texas and be free.
Free of worry. No bombs, no guns, no refugee camps.
But most importantly, no war.
more>>
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 the
e-Zine editor, Iona Lister at
editor@respectrefugees.org.
To be removed from our mailing list, please complete the online form at:
subscriptions.respectrefugees.org.
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