IRT's Elizabeth Garland with Suzy Abau, Maridi Community Member, and Sr. Lilian Maryektho, Director of PARUDA.IRT’s Programme Development Officer, Elizabeth Garland, recently returned from a trip to Uganda where she visited IRT projects and went to learn about other development programmes implemented by other community-based organisations. Here are some of the highlights.

A family involved in PARUDA's programme.In Arua (northwest Uganda), Elizabeth visited a potential training partner, PARUDA (Participatory Rural Development Agency), established in 2002. She was impressed by their projects, which target poor, disadvantaged, marginalised, rural subsistence farmers, many of whom are illiterate or semi-illiterate with limited mobility. PARUDA addresses poverty with the Participatory Rural Approach based on the philosophy that the person dealing with a problem knows the problem best. They offer training and education in a number of areas—from modern farming techniques to adult literacy to nutrition. Materials and tools are not free but subsidized and loans are available for large purchases. They work with groups of the same economic status, and projects are in-line with government policy. More than 1,500 beneficiary households have been involved and those visited demonstrated the programme’s effectiveness: families were more united and moved beyond subsistence farming to improve their homesteads’ infrastructure and sanitation. Overall, PARUDA is a valuable programme that IRT will keep an eye on with a view to replicating their success with other partners.

'Farming as a Business' training.Two representatives from two separate IRT partner organisations in Sudan were funded by IRT to build their capacity by attending ‘Farming as a Business Training’ in Lira (northwest Uganda) facilitated by the Obaya Community Association (OCA), also an IRT partner. Elizabeth accompanied them and found the training to be well facilitated and presented. She also monitored the progress of OCA’s programme, ‘Strengthening and enhancing quality of life for returnee IDPs in Lira District through income generating activities’. IRT’s funding has enabled OCA to move onto secure premises and pay three full-time staff members, rather than relying on voluntary staff, giving it the structure to effectively implement projects. AFID volunteer, Stephen Marshall, trains OCA staff in accounting.Elizabeth was also accompanied by an Accounting for International Development (AFID) volunteer, who devoted time to build OCA staff’s accounting capacity by upgrading their software. He reported excellent bookkeeping by OCA.

The Director of the Akilo Beekeeping Project.Elizabeth also met with the director of the Akilo Beekeeping Project, involved with OCA’s training of beneficiaries. She was shown the impressive set-up and potential of the project and sampled the high quality honey produced there. In addition, Elizabeth held meetings in Kampala with the Programme Officer of the Comboni Samaritans of Gulu, one of IRT’s long-term partners. Finally, she met with ApiTrade Africa and the Head Office of the National Organic Agricultural Movement of Uganda (NOGAMU) to begin establishing business supply links for the honey production projects.

All in all, it was an interesting and informative trip. IRT projects have shown good progress. The scope for more collaboration between partners has been identified, particularly where there are similar challenges to overcome. We will keep you posted!

By Denise Delaney

Photo courtesy of Sonny Malhotra.IRT would like to thank everyone involved for the success of the Barefoot Peace Walk! On Tuesday, 21 September 2010—the UN International Day of Peace—roughly 150 people took part in the walk or after-events in London. We could not have asked for better weather, and we are grateful for the enthusiasm of our participants, many of whom walked barefoot! Take a look at the photos of the walk and after-events.

Photo courtesy of CoDoc.The 45-minute walk for solidarity drew lots of attention! White ‘Barefoot Peace Walk’ emblazoned t-shirts, signs and many bunches of white balloons with informative flyers called attention to what is going on in areas affected by LRA violence. The colour white was used as an emblem, for it can symbolise a peaceful intent, truce or surrender. The need for peace is the message we tried to convey throughout the walk. This was the second Barefoot Peace Walk organised by IRT. We walked barefoot just as those who walked in protest against the LRA in Yambio, southern Sudan in 2009, in remembrance of the victims of LRA attacks there.

Photo courtesy of CoDoc.The group met from 6:00 pm next to St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square, and began walking at 6:30 pm. The journey went from St. Martin-in-the-Fields and down White Hall to Parliament Square. Passing Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament, the walkers turned onto Bridge Street and then onto the Victoria Embankment. Via Northumberland Avenue, the group proceeded to The Strand, turned onto Bedford Street and right onto Henrietta Street. Crossing Covent Garden, the group released all the white balloons, sending the message of peace out into the world. The walk then made its way to the Africa Centre, where the after-events were held.

Photo courtesy of Sonny Malhotra.Over drinks and nibbles, those who attended were treated to Jane Bussmann’s comedy show, Bussmann’s Holiday, which details the events covered in her book, The Worst Date Ever: Or How it Took a Comedy Writer to Expose Africa’s Secret War. Jane wrote a comic account for the Telegraph about an uncertain situation arising during her performance after the Barefoot Peace Walk. We also had the pleasure of hearing MP Mary Creagh speak in support of the event, and we showed the brief child soldiers documentary, ‘Northern Uganda: Views from the ground’, by Codoc Productions. Watch the video here. All in all, the event was a success! We are glad that so many people took the time and made the effort to take part. We hope it raised the awareness and attention that is very much needed to focus efforts against the LRA.Photo courtesy of Sonny Malhotra.   

Finally, we would like to mention that a new film protesting the use of child soldiers is due to be released later this year, Girl Soldier.  It is a feature film starring Uma Thurman based on Kathy Cook's book Stolen Angels. The Internet Movie Database summarises the forthcoming film:

Girl Soldier is a feature film's sharp protest against the use of children in armed conflict and an authoritative account of how concerned parents, interfaith groups, and international politicians banded together in a struggle to rescue the girls and to mobilize a people, their country, and a global community. It's an incredible story of hope, strength and determination in the face of extreme adversity. (IMDB)

Photo courtesy of Sonny Malhotra.

By Denise Delaney

Radio Miraya in Sudan, pictured here, will begin 'come home' programmes.We were really excited about Invisible Children’s latest fundraising drive for radio towers for an early warning system in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Given the severe lack of communication in many parts of the DRC, a SOS or early warning system would potentially save civilians in villages from death and rape in the threat of oncoming attack. Some of the first short-wave radio towers were installed in the north-eastern part of the DRC earlier. To learn more about Invisible Children’s initiative, watch their short video.  

Radio has also been useful in crucial ways elsewhere. ‘Come home’ radio programmes have been of use in places like Uganda and Central and Eastern Equatoria in Sudan to sensitise listeners and hopefully convince LRA members to return and surrender. For instance, Radio Miraya in Sudan will begin producing ‘come home’ programmes. Given that the LRA are an increasingly diverse and dispersed group, the programmes are being used by Ugandan Broadcasting Corporation via shortwave and via Mega FM. They reach a number of areas but not Bas Uélé or the Central African Republic.

These efforts could be enhanced by regional cooperation. In addition, with more antennae, the UN mission’s mobile radio could reach more and more distant areas. In southern Sudan, financial assistance of the British government should also help bring booster antennae to Radio Yambio to access the eastern part of Central African Republic, Bas Uele and Bar-el-Ghazal. There are also plans to begin programmes in more languages, including Acholi, Azande, Arabic, French and Lingala—in addition to those running in Luo.

A similar campaign with simply worded and illustrated leaflets, to be distributed by the UN mission, is intended to encourage surrender and explain the process after desertion. Some feature accounts from those who have already fled the LRA. This awareness and information campaign is challenging, given that many LRA are led to believe that they will be killed if they come forward. As these efforts continue, more advice and expertise—potentially from the Ugandan Amnesty Commission, civil society organisations, local communities, etc.—will likely be needed to make the messages more effective.

At IRT, we are also encouraging the UK to help fund more antennae in Sudan to increase the radio messages to encourage child soldiers to come home. Look out for our petition at the Barefoot Peace Walk this Tuesday 21^st September and on our website soon!

By Denise Delaney



This week, Bishop Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala of Tombura-Yambio—the inspiration for London’s first Barefoot Peace Walk held on 24^th October 2009—has called for a ‘fresh approach’ to the threat of the LRA across Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and the Central African Republic. A conference brought together Catholic Church clergy and civic representatives from these four African countries to sign a declaration. They are appealing for international action to stop the LRA from terrorising the region. The declaration includes an appeal for more humanitarian support for refugees and those internally displaced as well as a call for peace talks to resume.

‘We have been forgotten by our own government, forgotten by the international community and this means the LRA think they can do anything they like. Think of the number of people who have fled their homes, the number of people who have lost their lives and the number of people left as orphans...It is just too much.’

Days before the conference began, there were a number of LRA killings in Yambio, where the bishop is based and the conference took place (see the recent post, A violent update). Yet the Bishop stressed that while there is a need for more international pressure to increase security, they are not asking for the ‘military way.’ The military response to the LRA has proven limited.

‘We have seen what happens by following the military way. People continue to suffer and die. We want to say that we need another option, an option for peaceful dialogue.’

To read more about Bishop Hiiboro, take a look at this Aid to the Church in Need article.  

Last year, Bishop Hiiboro spoke out about the many atrocities perpetrated by the LRA across central Africa that you have been able to read about here. In our blog of 22^nd September 2009, we described the barefoot and silent protest he organised in Yambio in southern Sudan. Last year, some 20,000 people joined him to protest against the violence caused by the LRA. His achievement inspired IRT to act. Having organised the GuluWalk 2009, we decided to use this event to set up our own 2009 Barefoot Peace Walk in London. Like those who walked in Yambio, we aimed to gather a group of people to walk barefoot and in silence with us, to grasp as much international attention as possible for the suffering of the people in the LRA-dominated region. 

Please join us on 21^st September for this year’s Barefoot Peace Walk and a number of exciting after-events. Have a look at our 2010 Barefoot Peace Walk page to find out more details. Again, we will walk to make sure that the voices of those made to suffer and fear the LRA are heard not just in southern Sudan, but in as many parts of the world as possible. The more who come to the Barefoot Peace Walk, the harder it will be for these atrocities to be ignored here in the UK and around the world.

By Denise Delaney



Funeral of the victim of a LRA attack.Most recently our local partners have reported LRA attacks on civilians within miles of Yambio in West Equatoria, south Sudan. Attacking in the village of Nawa on 4 September 2010, eight men and women were brutally killed. Three children were also abducted and one subsequently released. Just two days later, the LRA appeared in Nayure to kill one man and abduct four others who were subsequently found dead in the bush. Finally, en route to Congo, two women and two children were killed.

It is not surprising that people do not feel safe. Scared, they are not sleeping at home. Resolve Uganda adds that one of the attacks actually targeted those gathered for the funeral of an earlier victim of LRA-perpetrated violence.  

These horrific accounts strengthen the imperative to draw international attention and encourage action against the LRA. For one, President Obama has yet to produce a regional strategy to help protect civilians from LRA attacks like those of last weekend. The provisions of the LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act, passed in May of this year and due to be implemented by the end of November, are urgently needed across the villages of central Africa.

Here in the UK, it is IRT’s hope that these stories and others like that of War Child ambassador, a survivor of the LRA, Juliet push the UK to take a leading role against LRA activity and bringing its leader Joseph Kony to justice. It is perhaps more important than ever that we raise awareness in the UK about the horror perpetrated regularly in central Africa. A great way to take part in this effort and show your solidarity is to join us for the second Barefoot Peace Walk. This event, to be held from 6:00pm on Tuesday 21 September 2010, coincides with the UN International Day of Peace to make the international community, particularly the UK, take notice of the LRA atrocities. Please join us!

By Denise Delaney