Al Foolah is a remote area of Sudan, rich in oil. Like much of Sudan, development has been stifled by the 21-year civil war, and the local inhabitants live in poverty.
In 2007 an oil company began drilling in Al Foolah. To compensate the local population, they built a hospital – to serve the 3 million people in the area. Yet it was built without consulting the people who would use it.
The building was too far out of town for the people to access, and as no staff or equipment were provided, there were no doctors or nurses to administer the health care the people so desperately needed. Today the hospital is used to shelter animals.
Last year the Collaborative for Peace set up a peace committee in Al Foolah. Through their local links, they have worked with the local community to identify their needs and discover what would really help them. In addition the Collaborative is building relationships with the oil company. They have already met with a representative from the company and plan to do so again in coming months. It is a slow process, but it shows that the oil company is learning to listen to local voices and is keen to put their support where it can have the most impact.
Life post referendum
Sudan’s capital hasn’t escaped the wave of protest sweeping the Middle East. A faltering economy, anger over the breakup of the country as the South becomes independent, and a resurgence in violence in Darfur, only add to the tension. The government has shown signs of concern and civil society has come under suspicion. Popular protests, though small, have quickly been met with repression, and there are frequent reports of human rights abuses against activists.
Immediately following the partition of North and South Sudan, local peacebuilder Rasha El Fangry began the process of officially registering the Collaborative for Peace in the North. She was subject to an intense investigation by government officials when her loyalties and allegiances were called into question. It is a harrowing reminder of the danger that the people we support put themselves in to build peace. However, as a result of the transparency with which Rasha has always run the Collaborative since its inception in 2006, the investigations culminated in success.
The Collaborative is now officially registered and this will grant Rasha a long, sought freedom to continue with her work.
£300 could be enough to cover travel costs for Rasha and her team to be on hand to intervene in long standing conflicts – helping communities move forwards after decades of war. Make a gift today.
Stories from other projects
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After the riots that cost over 100 young lives in Kashmir in 2010, this year has seen signs of hope for improvements in the relationship between the Indian and Pakistani governments. Away from the negotiating tables, peacebuilder Ashima Kaul is building on this mood to foster understanding across the divided communities of Jammu and Kashmir.
Read full storySri Lankans come together after flooding
In January 2011 floods hit Sri Lanka. Local peacebuilder Dishani works with young people and religious leaders to build connections and understanding betweem communities. As the floods hit the Batticaloa region, it was these connections that the people called upon to help them when they most needed it.
