RESPECT University Starts Business Course in Nigeria

Emilie Yerbie, interviewing voluntary tutor, David Beasley (Australia)

RESPECT: As a voluntary Business Skills tutor of refugees in Nigeria, please tell me how you discovered RESPECT and what made you decide to volunteer.

David Beasley: When I came across the "Online Volunteering" site, I wasn’t looking for anything in particular. At that stage, all I knew was that I wanted to try something different, something challenging, and to do some work for a good cause. I came across RESPECT International and thought I would enquire about more information. The reply I received was enough in itself to convince me this was an organization I would really like to be involved with. University

Laptop Computer Operation Starts for South Kivu, DRC

by Alice-Caroline Loffredo

The idea of setting up a "laptop operation" was born in March 2005 when Marc Schaeffer, RESPECT International Coordinator and Founder, picked up four refurbished laptops from the Canadian NGO, Computers for Schools.

The operation is aimed to set up a mobile training center in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This province has more than thirty refugee schools involved in the RESPECT letter exchange program. Refugees from this part of the DRC are exchanging letters with students from Belgium, Russia, France, USA, Canada (Quebec), and even Brazil. Laptops

Computer Science Student Plans Training for Volunteers in Uganda

Dr. M. Ashaq Raza, interviews Emmanuel Mugarura (Uganda)

Emmanuel Mugarura is a final year degree student in Computer Science. He is planning to train computer basics to the volunteers of RESPECT International in Uganda, who in turn will invest their efforts to educate the refugee population living in the camps of Northern Uganda.

RESPECT: Tell me about your computer training center and your organization.

Emmanuel Mugarura: I’m just a final year computer science student, so I don't have an organization as such, but we are in the process of setting up one. We want to train the people from Kitgum because I know basically what they need, except that I don't know their level of expertise.

RESPECT: How did you get involved with RESPECT International?

Emmanuel Mugarura: Initially, I wanted to find opportunities with United Nations Volunteer (UNV) specialists but I was told I was under age for that and to apply 3 years later. So, I thought to utilize my time doing some voluntary work with UN Volunteers, the online version. Training

Diary of a Filmmaker Visiting Oru Refugee Camp, Nigeria

by Martin Webb (UK)

Wednesday 1^st June, 2005

This was the first day that we spent in the camp. It was called an open refugee camp in that the residents were free to come and go as they please. Some of the elderly refugees were given a food allowance, but most of the 7,000 refugees were expected to earn money and feed themselves as well as their families. Diary

Work Progresses at Lugufu Camp in Tanzania

Bakaly Sembe interviews Atuu Waonaje, director of youth development and adult education

RESPECT: Please tell us about Lugufu, and your connection with RESPECT.

Atuu Waonaje: I came across RESPECT while surfing the net. Since then we've had a very fruitful relationship. Lugufu