the students hard at work
                                           FAR Graduates fulfill their promise

Six months ago the village school in Showa, South Kordofan, looked and felt like a war zone; collapsed desks, broken benches and nails strewn everywhere tarnished its reputation and compromised the children’s ability to learn. But now, it’s a different story. After four months of training, local women and young people from Showa village have been able to restore the school to its former glory.

 The 62 Showa residents graduated in July from a FAR course on welding, carpentry and foundational mechanics, allowing them to restore singlehandedly the school the week after they graduated. The impetus for this inspiring project came from Showa residents themselves. In early 2010, a local women’s organisation, mostly made up of returnees, approached FAR outlining their situation. The women were struggling enormously to find any form of employment due to their lack of education or agricultural knowledge.  Many were seriously afraid that they would not be able to afford the school fees at Showa for the new school year. In return for training, the women’s group promised to repair the furniture at the school.

With support from the Canadian Embassy, FAR responded to their request and soon training was underway. Even though it was the rainy season when extra help is often needed in the fields, all the students found the time to attend the classes. At the beginning of the mechanics’ training, a lot of the female participants were reluctant to be involved, nervous of the strength needed to lift parts and tyres. Thankfully, one young female student, Sulafa, took the lead and soon all the women were lifting and repairing burst tyres. In fact, a group of students have already found a demand for these skills; they work on the roadside repairing tyres on trucks that come through the area. After only a week they had made US$40!

The course graduates now have a greater chance of gaining an employment but they have also realised they can have future with choices rather than a dependence on aid. This empowerment and confidence is plain to see. What’s more, attendance records are at an all time high at Showa school. With a successful school at the heart of a community, financial security for the community is also more possible in the longer term. But most importantly, Showa’s community is closer than ever before, realising the opportunities available when they work together.