Together for Sudan the Bishop Mubarak Fund - UK Charity No 1075852

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Together for Sudan Khartoum Office Annual Report for 2011

 

Images of people that TfS helps

I. Introduction

 

11. Educational Projects:

1. University Scholarships
2. Elementary scholarships
3. Teacher Training and Support
4. Women’s Literacy classes
5. Vocational training

111. Educational Support Projects:

1. Eye Care Outreach
2. Solar Panel Project
3. HIV/AIDS Awareness Outreach

IV Nuba Mountains:

1. Educational Projects:
2. Educational Support Projects:


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1. Executive summary.

The report covers the activities of the education and educational support projects in Khartoum and the Nuba Mountains from January to December 2011. Together for Sudan has eight education and educational support projects. However, only five projects were active during the reporting period due to lack of funding.

The current number of TfS university scholars is 142 (127 in Sudan and 15 in South Sudan) studying in 12 universities: 92 at Ahfad, 35 in other universities and 15 in South Sudan. 224 scholars have graduated over a period of ten years.

The elementary schools scholarship project was suspended in March 2011 due to lack of funding. In February 74 scholars benefitted from free places at the ten schools at which TFS supported teachers: this compares with 106 scholars at the beginning of the academic year in July 2010.

Women’s Literacy classes restarted in October 2011 with two classes in Omudurman, the number of women at the two classes in December was 60.

The number of vocational scholars is currently 17 in two training institutions. The total number of graduates is 111, since the start of the project.

Twenty four Eye Care Outreaches were conducted in the Khartoum area with examination of 2,557 patients. 366 operations were carried out, and a further 43 were recommended.

  

11. Educational Projects:

 

11. 1a. University Scholarships

Together for Sudan awards scholarships to female Sudanese who are from poor backgrounds, particularly students from the Nuba Mountains, Darfur, Eastern Sudan and in South Sudan as well as to economically disadvantaged Sudanese. This support is intended to help students pay university education expenses including registration and tuition fees. In June 2011 the number of the scholars was 154. Six scholars have graduated in the second half of 2011, 3 absent and 3 were withdrawn, bringing the number of scholars to 142 of whom 15 are studying at three universities in the Republic of South Sudan and 127 are studying at 10 universities in Sudan. Of the 142, 103 are sponsored by the Mohamed Ibrahim Foundation, 14 by the Gordon Memorial College Trust Fund and 25 by Humanity United.

  

Together for Sudan Scholars 2011  
The table below show the number of the scholars in every university:

No

Bh

Ahf

Ahl

Azh

BG

Dl

Ju

Kh

Krd

Nil

Su

UN

 

7

92

6

2

2

3

12

3

3

6

5

1

Total

142

  

 

I1.1b. University Graduates

In June 2011 we had 218 graduates. With 6 graduates in the second half of the year 2011, TFS university graduates now total 224 over a period of ten years.

 

TfS graduates 2002- December 2011

year

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

Graduates

8

9

20

20

27

15

34

36

25

30

Total

224

 
 

I1 .2. Elementary scholarships

This project is not active for this academic year due to lack of funding. However, seven out of 10 schools that were supported by TfS until March 2011 are continuing to operate, with around 49 former AIDS Orphans Scholars attending.

 

II.3a.Teachers’ training.

No training courses were conducted in the reporting period due to lack of funding.

 

II.3b. Teachers’ Support

Two TfS sponsored schools (Fulla Falls and Kimu) in Soba Aradi displaced area received donation of 500 sterling pounds from a church in the UK during the academic year of July 2010-March 2011 and an additional donation of 750 sterling was received in December.11 for Fulla Falls School, which will be dispersed in four months period in the form of salaries. It is worth mentioning that Fulla Falls offers free education to 10 AIDS Orphans Scholarships

 

II.4. Women’s Literacy classes

Together for Sudan has re-established two literacy classes in Alfateh (2) and Umbadda Karor both in Omdurman in October 2011, where many war-affected people had fled from Darfur, Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile.

The class in Alfateh 2 was set up in September 2011 with the total number of registered women 74. The class is well organized and women are well motivated. The actual number of women on 28 December.11 monitoring visit was 44. The literacy class in Umbadda Karor was founded in September 2011 with the total number of 22 enrollees and the actual women attending was 16 according at the monitoring visit on 29 December.

Together for Sudan is planning to conduct a REFLECT training for 30 facilitators in mid of February 2012 with funding from British embassy. The trainees are expected to open literacy classes on their areas.

 

II.5. Vocational training

The number of vocational scholars accepted in the academic year 2010/2011 was 21 scholars in three training institutions, as follows: 16 scholars study at Alfaiha Center, three at St Joseph, and two scholars at Vocational Center (1). Two scholars graduated in July 2011 and two have returned to south; we have 17 current scholars who will graduate in 2012 and a total of 111 graduates since the project began in 2008.

 

Table below show fields of studies for current vocational scholars

Field of study

VOCATIONAL TRAINING

Alfaiha Center

St Joseph Center

Vocational Center. 1

Female

Male

Female

Male

Female

Male

General electricity

8

3

0

0

0

0

Mechanic

0

3

0

1

0

0

Refrigeration & air conditioning

1

0

0

0

0

0

Auto electricity

0

1

0

0

0

0

Total

9

7

0

1

0

0

Grand- Total

17

 

Challenges

  • Difficulty for some scholars to pay their own transportation fee to the centre is threatening their continuation.
  • Lack of workshop safety materials

Recommendations

  • Offer transportation fees for the scholars who cannot afford it
  • Provide safety materials where possible
  • Monitor scholars after their graduation, where possible and recommend them to big companies according to their specializations in order to help them find jobs
  • Support scholars who are interested to get a diploma degree on the General Electricity field, which requires an additional year of study

 

Educational Support Projects:

 

III. Executive summary.

The TfS educational support projects were initiated to support the educational projects. These projects are Eye Care Outreach, the HIV/AIDS Awareness Project and the Solar Lighting Project.

 

III.1. Eye Care Outreach

The Eye Care Outreach aims to treat eye diseases among displaced and/or impoverished people in the Khartoum area and in the Nuba Mountains (see below). The project targets eye problems among women in literacy classes as well as school children and disadvantaged men. It provides appropriate medicines, surgeries and corrective glasses.

 

Achievements:

Twenty four outreaches were conducted in the Khartoum area during the reporting period. In these outreaches 2,557 patients were examined by experienced Ophthalmologists, 366 patients were operated on successfully and a further 43 are awaiting recommended operations. The total number of glasses and lenses distributed was 228. Additionally, 1,413 patients were supplied with medicines.

 

The table below illustrates the project achievements January to June 2011

Patients examined

Operations done

Glasses distributed

Medicine

2,557

366

1,173

1413

 

III.2. HIV/AIDS Awareness Outreach

No activities took place in the reporting period.

 

III.3. Solar Lighting Panels Project:

This project was closed in Khartoum area in September 2008 with six panels handed over to community based organizations. Another six panels were removed because of misuse, or because expansion of the electricity grid in the Khartoum area rendered them unnecessary. These six were re-installed in sites in the Nuba Mountains.

  

IV Nuba Mountains:

Fighting broke out between SPLA/M (N) and the Sudanese Army in June.11, as a result of which TFS activities in Nuba Mountains were and remain suspended.

All the office staff are safe. Three have left the Nuba Mountains and one remains in Kadugli. But on 21 June the TfS Kadugli office was looted completely and everything stolen, including an operating microscope for eye surgery, five new solar panels with their accessories, which were about to be installed, and the office safe, computers and furniture. A report with the list of items stolen has been submitted to the police in Kadugli and HAC Khartoum for investigation, and some of the furniture has since been recovered.

A TfS representative has visited Kadugli in the last week of December 2011 to assess the situation before conducting the second eye care outreach for 2011. According to the visit report and the local ministry of health judgment, it was decided that an outreach would organized in January 2012 in Talodi area, where there is a need.

TfS has made all the necessary preparations for the eye care outreach in Talodi and is waiting only for the approval of federal HAC in Khartoum to begin. For that purpose TfS bought a new eye operating microscope in December.11 funded partially by the Canadians to replace the one stolen during June.11 fighting in Southern Kordofan state.

Other activities during the first five months of the year were focused on Eye Care outreaches, and installation of new solar panels to provide light to schools and health centers in areas outside Kadugli town where electricity is not available (see below for activities from Jan-May.11).

 

IV.1.Educational Projects:

Due to insecurity and lack of funding, TfS Educational Projects in the Nuba Mountains are currently inactive.

 

IV.II. Educational Support Projects

 

IV.II.1. Eye Care Project

One Eye Care outreach and one post operative follow-up were carried out in Rashad locality from 10 to 15 March 2011 and 17 to 19 May 2011 respectively. During the outreach and the post operative follow up 2,517 patients were examined, 297 patients were operated on and 5 people was referred to Khartoum for further treatment. Of these, four were operated on in Khartoum. A total of 487 patients were offered lenses and glasses and 1049 patients were provided with medicines.

 

The table below shows the patients seen, operations carried out, glasses distributed and medicines used in the Nuba Mountains.

Patients seen

Operations done

Glasses distributed

Medicine

2,517

297

487

1049

 

Environmental Health Training & Eye Problems for Teachers & Community leaders:

TFS organized one training course in Kadugli sub-office to provide health and hygiene education from 8 to 12 May 2011, which targeted 32 teachers. These teachers are expected to spread the acquired information to their pupils and communities as well.

 

II.II. Solar Lighting Panels in Nuba Mountains:

The purpose of the solar panels project is to provide lighting, primarily for women’s literacy, schools and health centers but also for income generation and community functions, to displaced or impoverished persons living in areas off the electricity grid.
The panels helped women who study in literacy classes as well as school children in revision of their lessons. Additionally the panels allow medical assistants and midwives to treat emergency cases after dark. Moreover, community members at the sites are now able to organize night activities such as meetings to discuss community issues.

Together for Sudan started this project in 2005/6, funded by the Canada Fund, by installing 13 panels in clinics and 16 at basic schools in Nuba Mountains. Four of these were stolen in 2009/10, and a further 17 were installed in 2011. TfS Director and Secretary visited three sites near Kadugli at the end of May.11. However, we do not yet know how many of the 26 panels installed were affected by the June fighting.

A three days training course for solar panel supervisors was carried out in Kadugli from 10th to 12th April 2011 to teach simple repair and maintenance of the panels, proper usage of the panels and basic reporting procedures. The training targeted 34 supervisors, but the actual attendance was 38. The excellent response reflected individuals’ wish to empower themselves through learning and practicing.

In May TfS purchased additional 5 panels with their complete accessories with balance of the Canada Fund grant and delivered them to Nuba Mountains; unfortunately these five panels were stolen when TfS Kadugli sub office was looted in June.11

 

This report was compiled by the Together for Sudan Khartoum Office.