From July 15th to 29th 2010, SSHADA President/CEO Mr. Senos Robert Timon headed the first official trip into Southern Sudan with a delegation of five people to visit a project in Lire Payam Kajo-Keji County, South Sudan. The delegates are; Dr. John Fryters from Chakam School of the Bible in Prince Albert, SSHADA main project partner, Denise McDonald from the Saskatchewan Council for International Cooperation (SCIC), James Klassen, from Klassen Therapy and Professional Training in Prince Albert and Angela Hill, from Prince Albert Daily Herald. This project is financed by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), the Saskatchewan Government, and local donations, is a joint project between the Southern Sudan Humanitarian Action Development Agency (SSHADA) and CHAKAM School of the Bible in Prince Albert

The delegation from Canada in front of the White Nile at Juba. From left to right Senos, Denise, Anglia, Dr.John and James. Also in the picture are Evans, Rev. Manasseh and Charles wearing the tie.

While there, we met with a number of GOSS parliamentarians from Kajo – Keji County, Mary Kiden Kimbo, MP in the Southern Sudan legislative Assembly and Mr. Oliver Mule, MP in the Central Equatorial State legislative Assembly, including the Deputy Governor of Central Equatoria State and Education Minister, as well other politicians and the local government officials in Kajo-Keji County. Also the team provide number of training workshops to the community members and visited several centers, Trauma Counselling Training and Leadership workshop was provide by James Klassen and Dr. John Fryters. Most of the feedback we received was extremely positive and pointed to the need of continued training of this kind (i.e. trauma counselling training and services) in a post-conflict zone.

Denise McDonald, the overseas program officer for Saskatchewan Council for International Cooperation facilitated a workshop on women empowerment, she said she saw that women realize they can make a difference.

The team also visited Al Shaba Children hospital in Juba, Kajo-Keji general hospital, Orphanage centre in Kajo-Kajo and centre for people with HIV/AID positive. It was quite an experience for the team and the opportunity to learn about the cultural and what the people of Southern Sudan had been going through the last 21 years of the civil war.

We laid the foundation stone for our new Comprehensive Vocational College, there was singing and dancing despite the rain as the foundation stone was laid for the Lire comprehensive vocational college.

Our activities were carefully observed and reported on through the presence of reporter Angela Hill, who, through a community partnership with the Prince Albert Daily Herald, was able to join us for the total trip.

As, I walked around the grounds of the Lire Secondary school and the new side for the Lire Comprehensive vocational college , I saw the fruits of the past eight years of work. I feel great to see all the students have a place to learn and the opportunity to rebuild their lives and communities. The efforts of SSHADA and other organization is an important part of the recovery of Kajo-Keji County and Southern Sudan in general, together we will make the difference.

Posted 04/19/10
New building block for Lire Comprehensive College

Work is progressing well on the first of two additional building blocks for Lire Comprehensive College. Funding for this construction is being provided by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and the Saskatchewan Government.

Posted 03/08/10
From central Saskatchewan to Southern Sudan

John Fryters, left, SSHADA CEO Senos Timon, right, and Agnes Skornicz from CIDA meet Tuesday to discuss detail about a joint venture to Sudan.

Herald photo by Angela Hill

Published on December 16th, 2009 Angela Hill

PRINCE ALBERT – The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) announced funding Tuesday for a partnership between two organizations working in Southern Sudan.

"It's important for people to understand that people (here) are really becoming involved in international relations ... there is a real interest in Prince Albert to reach out to the world," said John Fryters, director of CHAKAM School of the Bible Inc., based in Prince Albert.

CHAKAM, a development agency, is working with the Saskatoon-based Southern Sudan Humanitarian Action Development Agency (SSHADA) to expand a school in Lire, Southern Sudan into a fully accredited post-secondary polytechnic institution.

"It's an innovative and good project. One of the partners has significant ties to Southern Sudan (and) we helped to bring the partners together," said Debra-Jay Albus, the executive director of Saskatchewan Council for International Co-operation, a provincial umbrella organization for international development agencies.

SSHADA is a small and new organization and CHAKAM is experienced, she said.

"This project was conceived from the beginning as a mentoring project where a more experienced group helps a smaller project get into the international development realm," Albus added.

CIDA signed on with their financial support for the project.

The partnership attracted the attention of the Government of Saskatchewan, which is also providing funding because CHAKAM is a CIDA-approved organization, said Albus.

"The need in that area of the world is huge. There is a renewed sense of security ... rehabilitation and reconstruction is necessary ... and we are there to help," Albus said.

The building expansion is set to begin in January. The plan is that the building will become a centre for technical and vocational training, internships and post-conflict trauma counselling services to returning refugee youth.

Courses in carpentry, masonry, business management and agro-forestry are important for the community as the south of Sudan recovers from civil war, said Fryters.

There is an ever-increasing demand of skilled workers and construction materials, he said.

The goal is to have the entire project turned over to the community at the end of two years, with SSHADA members on the ground for support.

"The whole thing has a sustainability plan. It's built into the proposal," said Senos Timon, CEO of SSHADA.

"We would like the community to be able to take over the project."

Posted 03/07/10

SSHADA-CHAKAM Project for Lire Comprehensive College Underway

A contract for the construction of two four room building blocks for Lire Comprehensive College has been signed. The contract is signed by representitves of the SSHADA-CHAKAM partnership and the contractor Mr. Tombek Chaplain Jibi.

Work on the foundation for the first four room building block begins.

Posted 02/27/10

SSHADA Partners with CHAKAM School of the Bible

SSHADA and CHAKAM School of the Bible Inc. of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan sign a memorandum of understanding to co-operate on the Lire Comprehensive College Project. Due in large part to the valuable help of Dr. John Fryters, CHAKAM's CEO, the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and the Government of Saskatchewan will be providing monetary support for the project.

Left to right ..Dr. John Fryters, Dr. Lado Kenyi, and Mr. Senos Timon

Posted on 12/01/09

SEASON'S GREETINGS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR, 2010

Dear Friends

As we look forward to 2010, I am very pleased to report that we have realized significant progress in our work in providing educational services to the people of Lire community in Kajo-keji County, South Sudan. Our fundraising efforts to expand Lire Secondary School into Lire Comprehensive College are proving success and the first of three building blocks is closer to completion with the roof now installed....Senos Timon

"Southern Sudan...from Conflict to Hope" - Saskatoon, May 6th, 2005

On May 6^th, 2005, SSHADA organized a symposium in Saskatoon titled “Southern Sudan…from Conflict to Hope”. Topics for discussion were the history of the civil war in Sudan leading up to the recent peace agreement, the needs of returning refugees and displaced persons, and Canada's role in the peace process. SSHADA was fortunate to be able to attract two outstanding speakers to the symposium; Dr. Francis Deng, a research professor at Johns Hopkins University and former minister of state for foreign affairs of the Sudan and Senator Mobina Jaffer, Canada’s Special Envoy to the Peace Process in Sudan.

Dr. Deng titled his speech “a country in painful search for itself”. He talked of the roots of the civil war that began in 1955 after Sudan’s independence and how southern factions originally had a separatist objective. He described the period of peace that lasted between 1972 and 1983 as a ploy to get the south to lay down its arms. Dr. Deng’s premise was that when the war resumed in 1983 the reason to carry on the war was no longer separation, it was to correct distortions in Sudan’s identity and eliminate discrimination due to race, ethnicity, religion or culture. He described Sudan is an African country not an Arab country. The overwhelming majority of Sudanese are Africans. People from other areas of Sudan such as the Nuba Mountains, Eastern Sudan and Darfur joined in on the side of the south taking up arms against the government. The humanitarian catastrophe in Darfur is a result of this conflict. Dr. Deng held out hope that the recently signed peace agreement which allows the south to govern itself as well as to play a role in the new Government of Reconciliation, is the best hope for solving the crisis in areas such as Darfur.

Senator Jaffer spoke of the great contrasts between Canada and Sudan. She pointed out that while we live in a peaceful country where we are well fed, and have access to education and health care, many Sudanese have lived in the midst of a civil war for 50 years with 2,000,000 killed and 4,000,000 displaced. The Senator talked of the man made “tsunami” in the form of a civil war that has devastated Sudan. In her travels to Sudan the Senator experienced a people that despite the civil war, had a strong hopeful spirit, and a great desire work to improve there lives through education. The Government of Canada has supported a peace agreement that included all factions involved in the civil war. Now that this agreement has been signed, Canada will provide security forces as well as humanitarian aid.

SCIC 2005 Annual General Meeting

SSHADA directors, attended the 31st annual general meeting of SCIC, the Saskatchewn Council for International Cooperation. The meeting was held in Saskatoon on June 17th and 18th, 2005.

Launch of “Make Poverty History” campaign in Saskatoon

The evening presentation included an introduction to the “Make Poverty History” campaign by local celebrities such as actor Henry Woolf and author Louis Simmie. Keynote speaker was John Dillon of Kairos Canada who talked about the importance of debt cancellation for third world countries.

Member Consultation on SCIC’s 2005-2010 Strategic Plan

SSHADA representatives participated in group discussions regarding SCIC’s strategic plan. Topic for discussion was building skills and resources as a community and the group was led by SCIC board member Mary Jesse. General acceptance of the SCIC code of ethics by member NGOs as a tool for organizational development and was recommended by the group. Also discussed was the possibility of SCIC taking further steps to function as an umbrella organization in order to help secure funding for small member NGOs to carry out overseas programs.

SCIC 2005 Annual General Meeting

1:00 PM, Saturday, June 18, 2005
Representing SSHADA:
Dr. Lado Kenyi
Vincent Colistro

Presentations included the annual financial statement and various committee reports such as the Development Education Committee who talked about small projects funded in 2004-05 one of which was SSHADA’s education day. Nominations were made for new board members and president. JoAnne Jaffe was nominated by SSHADA and reelected as SCIC president. Rick Closs was reelected to the board, and five new board members were added.

Making Peace Conference - Holy Cross School, Saskatoon, November 5, 2004

Information about SSHADA and its work in Southern Sudan was displayed to attendees of the Making Peace Conference held at Holy Cross School in Saskatoon.

Sounds of Africa - Saskatoon, August 28, 2004

SSHADA's first major fund raising event was held in St. John's Hall, Saskatoon. The Kakwa band from Edmonton entertained a full house. The band played traditional instruments of Southern Sudan.

Authentic Sudanese food was cooked by Saskatoon Sudanese families.

Admission was free with donations going to support SSHADA's Lire Secondary School Project.

SSHADA directors attend SCIC 2004 Annual General Meeting

SSHADA directors, attended the 30th annual general meeting of SCIC, the Saskatchewn Council for International Cooperation. The meeting was held in Regina on June 11 and 12, 2004.

SSSHADA participated as an Associate Member of SCIC. As a result of this meeting, SSHADA will be considering endorsement and adoption of the SCIC Code of Ethics.

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Southern Sudan Humanitarian Action Development Agency Inc. (SSHADA) is a non-profit corporation, based in Saskatchewan Canada.
Canadain Charitable Organization No. 88799 5702 RR0001

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