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Home My WebLink AboutThe Times Advocate, 2005-10-19, Page 15Wednesday,October 19, 2005 Exeter Times -Advocate 15 An eyewitness aof S for lack of parasite con- trol. We dewormed 20,000 donkeys. • Fuel-efficient donkey dung cook stoves. The gathering of wood done by women and children was dangerous work. All wood collected was done out- side the save haven of I.D.P. camps. Many bad things happened to the women and children dur- ing this work. With this simple technology only half the wood was needed. • We refurbished a tree nursery in El Genina that grew 206,000 seedlings for distribution in the area. World Relief planted 5,000 trees in Azirni and distributed another 5,000 in Sanadidi.Other Nong Government Organizations (NGOs) planted the rest. • Seed and tool distribu- tion to 8,000 families. The looting of the villages caused many families to have no seeds to plant or hoes to work the fields with. It was important to have seed and tools dis- tributed before the rainy season. If the crops do not get planted the UN world food program would have to airlift more food for next year, a costly proposition. The will of the world to do this is waning as other disasters evolve. The last crop season saw only 40 per cent of a normal har- vest. This year about 70 per cent of the normal acreage is planted. The amount harvested depends on rainfall, locust invasions and peace. People do not harvest crops if their lives are at risk working their fields. Each family received 3 kg of sorghum, 6 kg of millet and two farm tools (hoes). Some also received a don- key plow. Canadian Food Grains Bank funded a large por- tion of this project • Vegetable seed for wadi gardens where suffi- cient water is available during the dry season. Tomatoes, okra, water- melon and cucumbers were the staple vegeta- bles. We also introduced By Fred Knip SPECIAL TO THE TIMES -ADVOCATE SUDAN — During the months of April to the beginning of August I had the privilege to work for the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee dis- tributing seed and farm tools for Canadian Food Grains Bank as part of World Relief's Darfur Collaborative Relief effort in Sudan. This area is where the Government of Sudan has given the nomadic tribes (junjaweed — devil on horses with guns) impuni- ty and weapons for sys- tematic killings based on ethnic origin and other atrocities against the African people when war broke in 2003. The terrorizing, raping, looting, killing, burning of thousands of villages and poisonings of precious water wells by the jun- jaweed, an Arabic militia, has cost the lives of 300,000 people and dis- placed 2.5 million people in West Sudan Darfur area. These displaced people go to areas where the population is higher for security reasons and for a supply of food and water. When this many people accumulate in a small area, feeding, watering and disease control become major issues. The physical geographical cop- ing mechanisms of the immediate area are placed under extreme pressure. T h e world's largest internally displaced people (I.D.Ps) camps are here in West Sudan, some with populations of 140,000. World Relief helps in three areas: Azirne,Um Tagouk and Sanadidi. These three areas have 80,000 people in 181 vil- lages, many which were destroyed leaving about 20 - 30 per cent of the population as I.D.Ps. World Relief has the fol- lowing sectors: water, sanitation, nutrition, health and agriculture, of which I was sector head. The agriculture program has the following compo- nents. • Donkey health — the donkey is the family's workhorse and pet. Many donkeys died or were sick The people of Sudan and aid workers still need much help and prayerful consideration as they move on with this challenging task of rebuilding this part of Sudan. A young Sudanese girl plants millet from seed distrib- uted by the Canadian Food Grains Bank. Exeter's Fred Knip recently spent about four months in Sudan work- ing for the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee. (photos/submitted) Unusual Finds DOLLAR & DISCOUNT OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK LARGEST DOLLAR & DISCOUNT STORE IN HURON COUNTY LARGE ASST. OF HALLOWEEN Makeup • Costumes • Decorations Nestle Favourites Bars 30 count bag $3.49 Ra Rolls & Suckers $1.00 456 MAIN ST. EXETER COMPLETE $1 PROGRAMME! PLUS LOWEST PRICED FAMILY DISCOUNT ITEMS! OVER 125' OF SCRAPBOOKING & CRAFTS Sudanese gather for seed a the Canadian Food Grains some new vegetables like beets and carrots. • As I was leaving, Paul from Uganda took over my duties as we were starting a chicken inter- vention program. We hope to provide the very malnourished in our nutrition program with four layer chickens for each identified family. The story of Sudan is huge and complex. Many issues are hard to under- stand or make sense of. The presence of NGOs and international news report- ing has put the pressure on the Government of Sudan to tone down their agenda. The warring parties have signed a peace agreement and a fragile peace seems to have the people moving back cau- tiously to rebuild their vil- lages and lives. Since then, John Garang (who claims to be guardian of the African peoples interests), a newly appointed vice-president of Sudan as part of the peace agreement and leader of the Sudanese People Liberation Army (SPLA), died in a heli- copter accident three weeks after his appoint- ment. This appointment was part of the peace accord. The African segment of pAvonEF:4:. Centres=or Mait><aria ca di Employme Learning You are invited!! CRANDOPENINS E= Thursday, October 27, 2005 from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm N 0 a) 349 Main Street S. Exeter, Ontario 519.235.0471 Please join us for refreshments as you tour our new premises! nd farm distribution Bank. the population suspects foul play and the whole peace effort is dicey. World Relief's personnel have been detained at gunpoint since I left and robbed close to the sup- posedly safe haven of El Genina. This and other incidents of security have the United Nations with- drawing all movements out of El Genina. For now all aid work is suspended until further notice. The news of other disasters in the world has left Sudan out of the mainstream news cover - during relief efforts organized by age. The people of Sudan and aid workers still need much help and prayerful consideration as they move on with this chal- lenging task of rebuilding this part of Sudan. If you would like to fol- low the story of Sudan, there are daily updates on Relief web Internet site. The address is www.reliefweb.com — click on to "Africa," then to "Sudan." — Fred Knip is an Exeter resident ¶?Merner Meats Custom Killing & Processing .NOW OPEN IN DASHWO p0, Now Ready for Custom Killing & Processing of Beef & Pork HUNTERS!We will process your Moose or Deer! MEM We are located at 70963 Bronson Line, Dashwood 237•3668 1/4 mile south of the main intersection in Dashwood RES: 237-3510 r------------�� HAY'Sil][I] ALE RECONDITIONING OPEN MON. THRU SAT. 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