Work of engineer Jan G. Krag

The construction of the teacher house for four teachers at St. Thomas P. S. is going well. The contractor and his team are doing a good job, but there were originally some delays caused by the lack of lorries to carry sand to the building site. Some toposa women have done a remarkable job carrying blocks and water for the construction up to the location of the new teacher house. They have been paid through a “Food for work”-scheme. Toilet and a shower rooms for girls have been built inside the school area.

To complete the construction, it is remaining to fit the doors and to install water. The kitchen for preparing the school meals has doors and the room is secured by mesh wire.          

Other activities carried out; Assisted in installing the machines at the Vocational training centre (specialists from abroad have to complete the installation). Has made a sketch for the construction of new staff houses inside the camp of the peace village (there is a need for more buildings).Jan has made a calculation with a total of 15.000 US $ for repairing and replacing the broken timber of the Kuron motor bridge. This bridge is connecting the two states of Jonglei and Eastern Equatoria and is also a symbol of peace among tribes who have a history of taking part in cattle raids around Kuron River.  Dutch assistance financed Kuron Motor Bridge, and the bridge was assembled by retired Dutch army officers in 2004. Some minor repairs have since then been carried using local timber, but major repairs of the surface have to be done within a short time to secure this important road link. The metal frame of the bridge is still in a good condition with very little corrugation. A project proposal is circulated to potential these days.

St. Thomas Primary School

St. Thomas Primary School in Kuron founded in 2005 is the only primary school in Kauto payam. Of the 220 pupils approx., half of them are toposa. Pupils coming as far as Narus are offered transport home is during vacations. Except for 10, all pupils are boarding.

Work of Programme Manager Kristen Fløgstad

His duty is to follow up the activities of the different programmes, Agriculture, Community development and peace building, Education, Health. He will receive and follow up the work plans from these programmes for August and September.
His plan for the first weeks is to follow the agricultural programme most closely. This programme has got a boost with the arrival of the teacher Stanley Kurong. In addition to teaching at St. Thomas Primary School, he has taking a lead in reintroducing ox ploughing in Kuron. Old ox ploughs are rehabilitated and Stanley has on his own carried the wooden pieces for the oxen all the way from Uganda.
Stanley and the agriculture officer will train two oxen already within the compound of the primary school to draw the ploughs. The plan is to integrate this project among other school activities. If this introduction gets a good start, this might be a new project within the agricultural programme.
When the welder has finished his present work inside the primary school, he has promised to rehabilitate the water tower inside the school garden. There are available iron bars for rehabilitating this tower.

National committee for Healing, Peace and Reconciliation

The executive committee of this national committee consists of five church leaders (one archbishop, three bishop and one moderator who is a reverend). Bishop Paride Taban is the vice chair of the committee. Composition of the commitee.

It is an honour to Kuron Peace Village that this national committee of approx. 30 members will meet here from 2nd – 7th December. The purpose of the gathering will be to reflect together on the work to do, to learn from those in South Africa who have had similar experience and for training of the South Sudanese members.