Community Service we need to Support

Two weeks ago, we invited members of the community to assist one of our own with house chores. The response was extraordinary, with each an every member almost raising their hand to help.

I was more supprised at how deep down in our hearts we habour the love and desire to help the less fortunate.I guess this is the 1st basic instinct engrained in human beings.On the other hand the world of nowadays has taught us something different. We have learnt that man can be very selfish, man can be devilish, to extents of exterminating the gift of life which is life its self.I remain perplexed at how tables can turn without notice, at how a friend can turn to foe in seconds and never to regret the preceding events.

Members in Melbourne on a weekend of community service

Religion from its inception I believe was designed to control the uncotrolled outbursts of anger and sin, to help society lead a rather peaceful existance, to help us raise our children in a world of positive morals. We  human beings owe a lot to religion, however the use of religion to discriminate , encourage revenge and perpetrate violence is again the evidence that may be man himself is the devil we have so much talked about.

Living in a country where someone has not spent his early childhood, feels new and strange, it almost has the contant reminder that we are in  foreign.This is so as  the  day to day connection with food in the shops, the culture, the trees in the back yard, flowers in the gardens, the dirt  on the roads is lacking.

He who has no inherent attachment will for ever feel uninvited.I believe  as immigrants   half of our lives is spent struggling to be accepted by the locals, the other half making a living if at all lucky.This depresses me to the bone, it disturbs my concious, I could go sobbing all day when I focus my mind on how to deal with mountain of challenges.
This is the reason why, we need greater association of friendship & communities to help us go through some of these not simple but important life hurdles  to survive in what was initially the  ‘panacea’ of our problems  also known as the ‘promised land’.

Famine & Draught in South Sudan -Thank you community

Members attending a fundraising event for Hunger is Sudan 17th Oct 2009

Dear friends, you truly stood by us today when we  held the prayer and fundraising event at Yarraman sports-ground hall.

I would like to aknowledge support of Equatoria community leader Mr Wani Mansour, Mu Beshir George,Otuho elders, Otuho women, Otuho youth, Equatoria community members and Otuho community executives.Our fundraising was able to raise  $ 497 ASD. This was by far and by most standards a low scheme event, but with a great outcome.

We prayed for our suffering brothers and sisters in Sudan, and hope that they can hang on untill the most needed help arrives.We cannot guarantee when, however all efforts are being made by OCA (Otuho community of Australia) to ensure  we deliver the needed help in collaboration with the  Sudan council of churches.Together we hope to bring to an end the gruesome event,  a cummulative outcome of many years of instabilty and poor governance.

Members of OCA would like to take this opportunity to request the government of South Sudan to address this apparent lack of food to her citizens. This  would not be the case were it not for the result of poor prioritization and lack of basic understanding in capacity building,which is a major undertaking that has continued to be overlooked by the local and national authorities.

The government and not the church should be at the forefront of lobbying for help to its people, the government ought to know we are in a era when they are responsible to and for everybody in the South of Sudan.They shall therefore be to blame when, we lose our important work force to famine, they will be to blame when our future leaders succumb to famine .

Lastly we  and the larger  civil society  organizations of Sudan shall hold them (government and politicians) accountable when our nation fails, especially when the result of failure is  acrued from malnutrition ,starvartion, disease and premature death.

Since relative peace was attained in 2005, we have had our hopes high, we are however now noticing  that, these very hopes are on the edge of being dashed.With all due respect  the honours is upto the  government to step up in meeting its obligation to the people of South Sudan. We are tired of waiting…singed concerned citizens of South Sudan.

Hunger Appeal for South Sudan

News  is that famine is rife in south Sudan. We are losing friends and family every day to hunger. This is not new news, in fact this news far too late. Thanks to the local and state governments for concealing this tragedy with high clout political events for such a long time. I am flabbergasted to say the least. The mission of the Southern government and its state representatives from day one, is to take care of the vulnerable,look after the sick  and feed its people. This unfortunately is not the message resonating amongst our political relatives in Sudan. Hearing of this news makes me feel like I have betrayed my people, because I am born in Sudan, and as a relative and a human being, I am obliged to at any cost defend , help and support my people in such situations.For this reason, I take responsibility to call on all caring persons to support us of ’Otuho community’ in this cause. In case of intention to support us, help people in Africa/Sudan please visit www.otuhocommunity.com.au and follow links to  the contact page to obtain our commonwealth bank account details for a donation.THANK YOU

For Love of Community

Today is 6th August 2009. Its less than 4 months to the end of the year, January 2009 lies in the remote part of my memories, I am looking forward to Jan 2010. This year has been a roller coster, much for a demanding job and community activities, still counting. Don’t get me wrong, I am not intending to resign, what I am trying to say is… Thank you to all community members thus far,  we should continue working together in building the necessary strut and ties,we are definitely on our way to redemption. We need publicity we need affirmative action and direction. This will not come easy it will not float to our doors and yards, we shall need to make the steps forwad to reach a better future for our selves and our children. Much thanks goes to our executive team and dedicated community members. Now lets stop the gossip and face  the future with determination!

Visit Gurtong.com on the link below

http://www.gurtong.org/ResourceCenter/weeklyupdates/wu_contents.asp?wkupdt_id=3016

Otuho Health education sessions launched

It  has been Otuho executive’s interest to assist with education of the Otuho members on important health issues,including women’s health, child health and men’s health. On the 20th of june, we witnessed the first of a kind in Australia, a local program for the local people by the local people. A very important milestone. We hope to continue with these sessions monthly for the next 6 months, after which an overall assessment of this pilot program will be completed.Paving  way to a much healthier community. People from the Sudanese community are invited, including the local Australian population. Session dates, time and venue shall be communicated through the otuhocommunity.com.au website.

power point presentation, Otuho health session

Otuho online

Visit www.otuhocommunity.com.au

Has Malawi failed Africa in ‘Queen Of pop Vs Malawi’

Flag of the republic of Malawi

Madonna a popular American musician, with over 10 billboard top charts in the last 30 years has been the subject of the headlines in the Southern African nation of over 13 million.After having had it easy with the first adoption, her second attempt has been sort of a ‘bumpy ride’.Well, to the more influencial Madonna nothing could stand her way.Now we have seen another shameful outcome of a botched court case,whose initial aim was to pressure would be adopters in abiding by the rules. Obviously there’s those who are larger than the laws drafted by the people of the former British colony of southern Africa, previously known as Nyasa Land. The case ‘queen of pop Vs Malawi’ is done and we should be ready for front cover pictures of Madonna and her new daughter.
The question we should ask our selves and our leaders is what have we got wrong that we have been deemed incapable of looking after our children. Was it not that Africans as a people are more open and very community and socially oriented.With this on record, what makes us incapable of extending the hand of help to our suffering brothers and sisters and their children. What is reponsible for the ever growing poverty, disease and death that has plagued our nations. In Malawi, Dr Kamuzu Banda’s rule sent this rich and potential country to rock bottom since his take over on indepedence day in 1964. 30 years later, the first democratic elections were held only to come too late. Old school leaders have been the problem,Omar Bongo has just passed away, Gardaffi is still in town, however their legacy will live for many years to come, we are talking about detrimental legacy. No one could be more distraught than I am,especially with the poor functioning short in thoughts greedy African leaders, who could do no more than self agrandize. African people around the world should approach the 21st century with a spirit of economic and political renewal. They should focus on peace, development,education and improvement of the economics and agriculture. Utimatley aiming for a pan African agenda. With aim to unite Africans as a people and clean out the virtual borders, that have imposed  negative nationalistic views in its natives which has since aided the propagation of neo-colonialism.

One People!

Otuho group members at Amanya’s pose for grp photo.

The idea that people can be ‘one’ or show semblance of similar opinions when it comes to relation can be a hard sell to skeptics.Nothing is more real than positive vibes emanating from a colleague,friend and partners at any one time.I say so because when people agree to agree on an opinion, there is strong sense of love in the air which ends up reverbarating to its surroundings.This goes on to have very positive influence on many outcomes,be it health or economics of the involved persons.I have been forever a believer in good deeds and promoter of peace at all costs.When I talked of Karma to a friend, who happened to have a good understanding of bhudism, I was shocked at how shallow the contemproray understanding of Karma is.I have  since been cautious on its use.But this is not by any means an excuse for loss of commitment to propagation of love and unity in my daily processes.On the 25th of May members of Otuho community met in a show of love and solidarity at one house in the south east of Melbourne to encourage co existence as the only possible alternative.I hope and pray unity be the backbone of our dealings.

Otuho tradition in ‘fusion’

Otuho language students attending a birthday party

A Birthday celebration is a remote concept to the traditional Otuho family.With mainly oral tradition as a way of keeping records and passing on information, documentation of important dates in the Otuho calender has not been a common finding until the begining of colonialism.With the introduction of reading and writing, through the years important dates have gone to the record.We have since adapted many western world traditions,hence the new generation of Otuho people practice  ’fusion’. With increased migrations to Europe and USA,westernization of Otuho tradition has taken a huge leap.We are seeing a paradigm shift in the core of Otuho traditions.
This period will go down for the record as the era when Otuho tradition and culture took the turn to oblivion.With all due respect, exiled Otuho people find themselves crippled by forces within their environments and the ever persisting demand for changes exerted both by local governments and xenophobics onto aiding loss of very important ways.We of Otuho community inAustralia are therefore looking at ways of maintaining a balance that works out well for the 1st, 2nd and so forth generation of Otuho people born in these lands.What may work out is negotiating and  pushing for the continuity of important traditional norms and culture.Language and traditional dance being top of the list. I therefore announce the opening of Otuho Language school and please send your children and bring your selves as well.