The ultimate in recycling and reusing - a toy truck made by a child in Yei.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Wine, Water, Motherhood and Education
On Third Street in Wasau, Wisconsin, there is a delightful family-owned independent bookshop. It’s called Janke Book Store and is jam-packed with newly published material, favorite oldies, and a bargain basement full of various reading genres.
A Janke employee is a fan and supporter of Africa ELI students. She escorted me to this locally treasured shop and gave me time to roam the aisles and browse through the shelves. It was a pleasant surprise to find Doc Hendley’s new book, “Wine to Water,” on display near the front door. Lest you think I’m mixing up words from an old biblical story about water being turned into wine, I can assure you that this is the correct title. Doc is a “preacher’s son turned bartender and accidental humanitarian” who works to bring clean water to people in places like Darfur, South Sudan, Uganda, Haiti and Cambodia. He’s a 2009 CNN-hero who teaches indigenous people how to repair broken wells.
Feeling a slight glow from discovering a book with stories about South Sudan so near to the front door, I began searching for any and all other things that might feature Africa’s 54th and youngest country.
Bingo! While not exclusively about South Sudan, I found “We Will Have Gained Ourselves” by Mumbi Mwangi, Ph.D. She is a woman from the East Africa neighborhood. A Kenyan, she has researched the education of African girls and written about African women pursuing higher education in the USA. She interviewed three women who revealed their challenges in contradicting common values of African tradition. These women struggled to overcome “gender inequalities and stereotypes that inhibit African women’s access to education.” Reaching beyond the idea that African women must be domestic and aspire for motherhood over educational gains, she reveals the “tremendous personal strength, courage, and determination” it takes for girls and women to achieve academic goals in a traditionally patriarchal environment. She asserts that motherhood and domesticity are not incompatible with education and professional development.
“Wine to Water” and “We Will Have Gained Ourselves” are stories of human interest and insights into the potential of people with passion and a cause.
A Janke employee is a fan and supporter of Africa ELI students. She escorted me to this locally treasured shop and gave me time to roam the aisles and browse through the shelves. It was a pleasant surprise to find Doc Hendley’s new book, “Wine to Water,” on display near the front door. Lest you think I’m mixing up words from an old biblical story about water being turned into wine, I can assure you that this is the correct title. Doc is a “preacher’s son turned bartender and accidental humanitarian” who works to bring clean water to people in places like Darfur, South Sudan, Uganda, Haiti and Cambodia. He’s a 2009 CNN-hero who teaches indigenous people how to repair broken wells.
Feeling a slight glow from discovering a book with stories about South Sudan so near to the front door, I began searching for any and all other things that might feature Africa’s 54th and youngest country.
Bingo! While not exclusively about South Sudan, I found “We Will Have Gained Ourselves” by Mumbi Mwangi, Ph.D. She is a woman from the East Africa neighborhood. A Kenyan, she has researched the education of African girls and written about African women pursuing higher education in the USA. She interviewed three women who revealed their challenges in contradicting common values of African tradition. These women struggled to overcome “gender inequalities and stereotypes that inhibit African women’s access to education.” Reaching beyond the idea that African women must be domestic and aspire for motherhood over educational gains, she reveals the “tremendous personal strength, courage, and determination” it takes for girls and women to achieve academic goals in a traditionally patriarchal environment. She asserts that motherhood and domesticity are not incompatible with education and professional development.
“Wine to Water” and “We Will Have Gained Ourselves” are stories of human interest and insights into the potential of people with passion and a cause.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Back Seat Drivers
“Peep. Peep. Peep.” For about 4 miles, that was the conversation among the new Excel Academy chickens riding in the truck’s back seat. They were on their way to the Mukaya campus where they would become a part of the agriculture program. Caring for and feeding the chickens would provide a practical learning experience for our students. Eventually the chickens would add protein to the students’ diet.
Agriculture is an important component of secondary education in South Sudan. Big open spaces and fertile land in the equatorial region offer students an opportunity to cultivate, plant, grow and harvest gardens as well as to raise livestock. It is common to see cabbages, tomatoes, okra and other nutritious food growing in small plots at Africa ELI sponsored schools. And no one gives it a second thought when goats or chickens wander through a classroom during English, math or science instruction. Occasionally, a rabbit will hop between the desks.
Africa ELI promotes practical agricultural learning experiences at each Excel Academy. By contributing resources toward garden seeds and tools along with supplying livestock for animal husbandry projects, Africa ELI works toward sustainable solutions in a developing environment. A robust agriculture program in secondary school will contribute to the students’ ability to grow and provide food for their future families and communities. Surplus crops may be sold for income generation with the earnings applied toward staple products and daily expenses.
Here are photos of some crops and livestock at Africa ELI supported schools.
Agriculture is an important component of secondary education in South Sudan. Big open spaces and fertile land in the equatorial region offer students an opportunity to cultivate, plant, grow and harvest gardens as well as to raise livestock. It is common to see cabbages, tomatoes, okra and other nutritious food growing in small plots at Africa ELI sponsored schools. And no one gives it a second thought when goats or chickens wander through a classroom during English, math or science instruction. Occasionally, a rabbit will hop between the desks.
Africa ELI promotes practical agricultural learning experiences at each Excel Academy. By contributing resources toward garden seeds and tools along with supplying livestock for animal husbandry projects, Africa ELI works toward sustainable solutions in a developing environment. A robust agriculture program in secondary school will contribute to the students’ ability to grow and provide food for their future families and communities. Surplus crops may be sold for income generation with the earnings applied toward staple products and daily expenses.
Here are photos of some crops and livestock at Africa ELI supported schools.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Africa ELI in Wisconsin
Wednesday, April 11, marks the start of Africa ELI’s 5th visit to America’s dairy land, Wisconsin. A ten-day speaking tour will begin in Cargill and conclude in Sun Prairie. If you would like to learn more about Africa ELI South Sudan programs, feel free to come to one of the following public presentations:
Wed, April 11 @ 6 p.m. – Cargill UMC
Thurs, April 12 @6:45 a.m. – Janesville Morning Rotary Club
Thurs, April 12 @10 a.m. – WCLO Radio
Thurs. April 12 @ Noon – Brodhead UMC
Thurs. April 12 @ 5:30 p.m. – Bethany and Agape UMC
Fri, April 13 @ Noon – Lodi UMC
Fri, April 13 @ 5 p.m. – The University of Wisconsin – attending The Crossing Gala
Sat, April 14 @ 10:30 a.m. – Oshkosh Algoma Blvd UMC
Sun, April 15 @ 8 a.m. – Port Edwards UMC
Sun, April 15 @ 6:30 p.m. – Portage UMC
Mon, April 16 @ 9 a.m. – Janesville Academy, UW- Rock County
Mon, April 16 @ Noon – Janesville Rotary meet & greet
Wed, April 18 @ 9:30 a.m. – Whitewater UMC
Wed, April 18 @ 6:45 p.m. – Mauston UMC
Thurs, April 19 @ Noon – Minocqua UMC
Thurs, April 19 @ 6:30 p.m. – Wausau First UMC
To view photos from the 2011 tour, check out our Facebook album : Wisconsin Spring 2011
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Bridging the Gap : Betty's Story
We hope you’re familiar by now with Africa ELI’s mission to “bridge gender gaps through education.” Today we want to share a shining example of this mission with you by spotlighting Betty, a member of Africa ELI’s first graduating class of sponsored students. She started her secondary education in 2008 and completed it in November of 2011. After passing her final exams and graduating from senior secondary school, she was equipped to start a job as a teacher and empowered to pay her own tuition fees for further training. She now earns enough to pay her own tuition and share income with her family!
For a full month Betty has been employed as a nursery school teacher. She arrives at the local school by 8:30 a.m. and cares for the young children until noon each day. When finished, she has enough time for lunch and commuting by foot to attend a daily teacher training course from 3 – 6:30 p.m. Betty is so thrilled to be making the payments for her advanced education without having to rely on anyone else to pay her way-- She proudly exclaims, “I am bridging the gap!”
For a full month Betty has been employed as a nursery school teacher. She arrives at the local school by 8:30 a.m. and cares for the young children until noon each day. When finished, she has enough time for lunch and commuting by foot to attend a daily teacher training course from 3 – 6:30 p.m. Betty is so thrilled to be making the payments for her advanced education without having to rely on anyone else to pay her way-- She proudly exclaims, “I am bridging the gap!”
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Celebrating Student Athletes
Excel Academy girls' netball team.
Netball may look like basketball without the backboard, but players may only take one step with the ball before they must pass it off or shoot. In this county tournament, the Excel Academy girls' team came from behind and tied the game 10-10. The girls made it to the semi-finals round of the tournament.
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