By Angela Hill

PA people prepare to go to new African nation

Jul 9, 2011 | 11:26 AM

People in Prince Albert are celebrating with residents of Southern Sudan as they celebrate their new independence, today.

There are two Saskatchewan organizations involved in a project in the newly-formed African nation — CHAKAM, from Prince Albert, and the South Sudan Humanitarian Action Development Agency, in Saskatoon.

A few members from these groups are preparing to return to Southern Sudan in August.
Their initial project, a technical school, funded through donations and the Canadian International

Development Agency (CIDA) was dedicated last August and opened in April.

“We started officially taking students in the first of April, we have four programs … and we have 38 students in the four classes,” said John Fryters, executive director of CHAKAM.

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The Comprehensive Vocational Training Centre currently offers classes in carpentry, masonry, computer technology and fashion/sewing.

It was a smaller number of students than Fryters said they were hoping for, but he said he was pleased to see more females than males in the classes.

“We believe that we had a very good start, and building on that we’re going to be able to increase enrolment to well over 100 students in the next school year,” Fryters said.

An important part for the project was being able to find and hire trained local staff, because there is an economic benefit to the community, he said.

The group plans to return to Southern Sudan in the beginning of August. Along with checking on the status of the school and programs, they will make expansions and meet with the government of the new country, Fryters said.

“So we can leave with good conscience.”

He said they will turn the buildings and staff to the Sudanese education system at the end of their project extension in April 2012.

While there have been some conflicts and violence during the separation of the country, Fryters isn’t concerned about the area where they will be.

“Most of the problems that they’ve had have been along the north-south border,” he said.

They will be in the far south of the country.

If this project wraps up as planned, Fryters said the two groups hope to get a second grant from CIDA to create a maternal and health clinic and training centre in the same community.

ahill@panow.com