[Original by Ko IMANAKA, Sudan & Yemen Projects (May 25, 2023); Translated by J. Tsuchiya/A. Taguchi] Kadugli, the capital city of South Kordofan State, which is JVC’s activity site, is about 600 km from Khartoum. It became the site of the bloodiest combat in the battle that broke out on April 15, 2023. It has then remained calm even after battlefields scattered over many places in Sudan. But even though there are no sounds of airstrikes and gunshots, it doesn’t mean there is no influence of conflict. How did it affect the people and what do they think about them? Effects of the war on Kadugli in the South Kordofan…
Staff Interview: Ko IMANAKA (Sudan & Yemen Projects)
[Original by Moeka SANO, 2023 Public Relations Intern (May 25, 2023); Translated by A. Turner/K. Takemura] Have you ever been curious about the different career paths JVC staff followed before they landed their position as an employee at an NGO? It’s my hope that this interview will come as some benefit to those looking to have a career in international cooperation in the future! What kind of person is Imanaka? He has been one of the local staff at the JVC Sudan office since 2018. He majored in Arabic at university, at which point he went on exchange to Yemen for a year. After graduating, he worked at a heavy…
Introduction of Our On-site Staff in Sudan
[Translated by F. Farina] •KHARTOUM OFFICE Mona Hassan (Local deputy representative) Born in Khartoum. After studying Islamic Law in university, she obtained a lawyer qualification. While working for various support groups, she completed her doctoral course in graduate school and joined JVC in 2011. She wants to contribute to the further revitalization of the government and related institutions by having them play their respective roles, so that the people affected by the conflict can be aware of and obtain their own rights. On weekends she works in a kitchen garden and in an NGO together with relatives. She came to Japan in 2016 and 2017 for a business trip to…
“Totoro!” – words of hospitality –
[Original by Miki GOTO (January 11, 2023); Translated by Y. Miki/F. Farina] This article was written just before the outbreak of the recent armed conflict in Sudan. Hi everyone! My name is Goto and in charge of the Sudan project. I joined JVC last May and made my first business trip to Sudan in November 2022. Mona, our local staff member, gave us warm welcomes at Khartoum airport in the capital when we arrived. We had only been talking through the screen at Zoom meetings before, so I was able to finally meet her in person. We arrived at the office smoothly, thanks to her having taken care of my…
Call for immediate cessation of armed conflict in Sudan and call for action from the international community
On the morning of Saturday, April 15, armed conflicts broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the Sudanese capital Khartoum. More than 400 civilians have been killed and 3,500 wounded in the fighting that has spread across the capital city of Khartoum and other areas. Many civilians, including our Sudanese staff and their families, have been unable to leave their homes or evacuate the area where the fighting is taking place. In addition to blackout and water outage, logistics have been suspended, and food and drinking water supplies have run out. Attacks on hospitals are also rampant, and many hospitals have been…
A mother who wanted to study, too
[Original by Ko IMANAKA, Sudan Project (February 21, 2022); Translated by E. Yocom] As detailed in this previous report, nearly 90% of the children who have completed the supplementary schooling are still continuing their studies at regular school. The following is a case study of one mother that illustrates JVC’s support and the changes that have been brought about by this initiative. ▼This video introduces the initiative. Cooperation among parents, administration, and teachers In our supplementary schooling initiative, we not only conduct classes, but we also work to remove the barriers to regular school attendance by raising awareness in the community and providing support to strengthen ties between the parents,…
What changes did JVC’s vocational training make? (Part 3)
[Original by Yuta HASHIGUCHI, Sudan Project (May 6, 2022); Translated by J. Tsuchiya/A. Taguchi] This is the final interview with the trainees who learned how to repair rickshaws (tuk-tuk), an indispensable vehicle in Sudan. I also interviewed their instructor. Please read on to learn about each person’s life and the emotional changes the training brought. Mr. Mohammed (18 years old) “I am from Shair of Kaduqli. Even though I have been working in a bakery for 10 years since I can remember, I didn’t improve my skills that much because I drudged the daily routine and felt like I was stuck at a dead end. One day, a friend of…
Let’s follow the students who have completed the supplementary school
[Original by Ko IMANAKA, Sudan Project (September 21, 2021); Translated by K. Takemura/A. Taguchi] JVC has been implementing a supplementary school for children who have lost the opportunity to receive an education since 2020. The purpose of the school is not only for the children to receive remedial lessons and improve their academic skills, but also for them to transfer or return to regular morning classes and continue receiving an education. Approximately 500 children initially participated in the supplementary school supported by JVC in 2020. Eventually, 387 have taken the final exam, partly due to a six-month school closure caused by COVID-19 and partly due to a series of evacuations…
What changes did JVC’s vocational training make? (Part 2)
[Original by Yuta HASHIGUCHI, Sudan Project (April 18, 2022); Translated by J. Tsuchiya/A. Taguchi] In my last blog, I introduced how trainees and instructors were feeling after the whole vocational training program ended. This time, I interviewed two other welding trainees. Please find out what kind of changes they have experienced through JVC’s vocational training. Mr. Fatah (18 years old) “I came from Katcha in the rebel territory. I went up to the second grade of elementary school, but because of a family finance issue, I quit and was taken care of in my relative’s shop for a while in Hersana, West Kordofan. Later on, when I came to Kaduqli…
What changes did JVC’s vocational training make? (Part 1)
[Original by Yuta HASHIGUCHI, Sudan Project (April 4, 2022); Translated by J. Tsuchiya/A. Taguchi] JVC’s vocational training project that began in 2021 ended last February. After finishing lectures and on-the-job trainings, almost all graduates got jobs at factories in the town and other places. From now on, they will start work supported by related institutions, community leaders, and youth leaders. Let’s hear from the trainees who have finished the welding training courses about their impressions and feelings. Mr. Murtada (23 years old) “I moved to Kaduqli from a rebel territory several years ago. I don’t want to talk about the past because I had terrible experiences before I came here.…