Weekly Interview, Aymen Korika - by Amanda Estes
By Amanda Estes
Staff Writer
When Aymen Korika returned to his village in the Nuba Mountain region in southern Sudan late last year, he could tell just by looking at the people that they were tired from having “heads full of war,” the result of more than 20 years of civil war.
In the same breath, however, Korika said the villagers were eager to move forward with development, particularly within their education system. During his first visit back home after coming to Maine in 1999, Korika said years of war had effectively terminated access to education because so many people were forced to flee their homes. At that time-a year after the signing of a peace agreement between the Sudanese government and rebel group, Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM)-Korika had great hope for his people.
During a recent interview at his Portland home, Korika discussed his efforts to fill in the gaps in the current system and to improve access to vital resources such as clean water and sources of income, which have a direct effect on a child’s opportunity to attend school.
Korika is aided in his efforts by Scarborough resident Ron Campbell, who learned of his story during a speaking engagement at the Thornton Heights United Methodist Church in South Portland.
“We just started talking after church,” Campbell said. “The more and more we talk, Aymen is becoming a friend.”
Campbell and Korika are working together to come up with ways to implement a solar powered clean water system in the Sudanese villiage. Korika said villagers have to travel long distances to find water and in most cases the water is contaminated.
The two men are just starting to work out some ideas, Campbell said. One idea they have come up with so far is to develop a solar powered pump that would continually pump water into a pond.
Korika is scheduled to speak to the Scarborough Kiwanis Club on June 15 and Campbell said he hopes the group will sponsor the education of one or more young women from the Nuba Mountain region.
As an executive member of the New Sudan Education Initiative, headquartered in Vermont, Korika is part of a global effort to reunite displaced Sudanese in hopes of improving the countries’ education system. He said the goal is to build 20 high schools throughout southern Sudan. Currently, construction is underway on one school and Korika said during his last trip to the area, they established a plan for the second school.
“The main thing that is hurting the education system is not having the high school education,” he said. For most students, sixth grade is the end of their education, he said. There are three high schools in southern Sudan, but they are all too far away for Nuba Mountain villagers to attend.
Korika said the local school system is run by the SPLM, but because the government of Sudan also lays claims to the region, he said the south is unstable compared to the capital city of Khartoum. He said a major current of the country’s conflict is the government’s failure to develop parts of southern Sudan.
Other options include attending high school in Kenya or Uganda, but he said that is usually not a possibility for most people. Sudanese youth also have the option of attending government-controlled high schools in the city, but that requires leaving their families and most villagers cannot afford to send their children to the city.
Another issue is that many of the classes are held outside because there is no infrastructure in which to house classrooms. Korika pulled out a picture showing a large group of students gathered under a tree and said that was a typical classroom.
Korika said normally there is a fee equivalent to five or ten dollars a year to attend school, but in many cases that fee is not enforced. The fee is meant to go toward providing salaries for teachers, which the area imports from neighboring countries. Korika said non-governmental organizations or NGOs have largely taken over the responsibility of paying teachers’ salaries, as most parents cannot afford the yearly fee.
In the Nuba Mountain area, Korika said the villagers are “luckily, not 100 percent dependent on money.” He said they are farmers, who depend on their cattle and seasonal rains. As the area opens up to more trade, however, he said more people are recognizing the need for a steady source of income.
Recently, Korika said he was able to send money to his father, who then established “mini-shops,” where people could earn money by making bricks. He said NGOs in the area have also implemented various programs in which villagers can learn new skills.
Korika and Campbell are hoping to sponsor six teachers in order to supply the area with qualified, local teachers.
“Not having those teachers is actually costing the area a lot and those teachers not being from the country- so they have to go back and (forth) so many times-actually causes a big gap in not having sustainable education,” he said.
During his last trip, Korika took on the responsibility of sponsoring a high school education for two local girls.
“I was able to bring them from the countryside and send them to the schools in the city,” he said. “Each one of them will be costing me about $1,500 dollars a year in sheltering and schooling. It’s enough for a whole year to provide food, shelter and their education as well.”
Campbell said when these girls are given the chance to further their education they can then take what they have learned back to their tribes. He said Korika “puts his money where his mouth is.”
Korika’s own education was interrupted by war. Korika said he was fortunate enough to receive a scholarship from his church to attend two years of college. At the time, young men were required to go to war before graduation.
“I just couldn’t do it and that’s when I decided to get out of the country,” he said. “I spent two years (at college) and I didn’t even finish it because of the risk of me fighting with my own people.”
Korika left Sudan for Egypt, where he eventually made it to Maine via the United Nations resettlement program.
From the moment he arrived in the United States, Korika said his plan was to go to school. He said, however, not knowing any English was a major challenge. To overcome that challenge he enrolled in intensive Adult Education courses and today he is in his second year at Husson College, pursuing a degree in computer information systems.
Anyone interested in seeing Korika speak on June 15 should call 282-4337, ext. 222.
Staff Writer
When Aymen Korika returned to his village in the Nuba Mountain region in southern Sudan late last year, he could tell just by looking at the people that they were tired from having “heads full of war,” the result of more than 20 years of civil war.
In the same breath, however, Korika said the villagers were eager to move forward with development, particularly within their education system. During his first visit back home after coming to Maine in 1999, Korika said years of war had effectively terminated access to education because so many people were forced to flee their homes. At that time-a year after the signing of a peace agreement between the Sudanese government and rebel group, Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM)-Korika had great hope for his people.
During a recent interview at his Portland home, Korika discussed his efforts to fill in the gaps in the current system and to improve access to vital resources such as clean water and sources of income, which have a direct effect on a child’s opportunity to attend school.
Korika is aided in his efforts by Scarborough resident Ron Campbell, who learned of his story during a speaking engagement at the Thornton Heights United Methodist Church in South Portland.
“We just started talking after church,” Campbell said. “The more and more we talk, Aymen is becoming a friend.”
Campbell and Korika are working together to come up with ways to implement a solar powered clean water system in the Sudanese villiage. Korika said villagers have to travel long distances to find water and in most cases the water is contaminated.
The two men are just starting to work out some ideas, Campbell said. One idea they have come up with so far is to develop a solar powered pump that would continually pump water into a pond.
Korika is scheduled to speak to the Scarborough Kiwanis Club on June 15 and Campbell said he hopes the group will sponsor the education of one or more young women from the Nuba Mountain region.
As an executive member of the New Sudan Education Initiative, headquartered in Vermont, Korika is part of a global effort to reunite displaced Sudanese in hopes of improving the countries’ education system. He said the goal is to build 20 high schools throughout southern Sudan. Currently, construction is underway on one school and Korika said during his last trip to the area, they established a plan for the second school.
“The main thing that is hurting the education system is not having the high school education,” he said. For most students, sixth grade is the end of their education, he said. There are three high schools in southern Sudan, but they are all too far away for Nuba Mountain villagers to attend.
Korika said the local school system is run by the SPLM, but because the government of Sudan also lays claims to the region, he said the south is unstable compared to the capital city of Khartoum. He said a major current of the country’s conflict is the government’s failure to develop parts of southern Sudan.
Other options include attending high school in Kenya or Uganda, but he said that is usually not a possibility for most people. Sudanese youth also have the option of attending government-controlled high schools in the city, but that requires leaving their families and most villagers cannot afford to send their children to the city.
Another issue is that many of the classes are held outside because there is no infrastructure in which to house classrooms. Korika pulled out a picture showing a large group of students gathered under a tree and said that was a typical classroom.
Korika said normally there is a fee equivalent to five or ten dollars a year to attend school, but in many cases that fee is not enforced. The fee is meant to go toward providing salaries for teachers, which the area imports from neighboring countries. Korika said non-governmental organizations or NGOs have largely taken over the responsibility of paying teachers’ salaries, as most parents cannot afford the yearly fee.
In the Nuba Mountain area, Korika said the villagers are “luckily, not 100 percent dependent on money.” He said they are farmers, who depend on their cattle and seasonal rains. As the area opens up to more trade, however, he said more people are recognizing the need for a steady source of income.
Recently, Korika said he was able to send money to his father, who then established “mini-shops,” where people could earn money by making bricks. He said NGOs in the area have also implemented various programs in which villagers can learn new skills.
Korika and Campbell are hoping to sponsor six teachers in order to supply the area with qualified, local teachers.
“Not having those teachers is actually costing the area a lot and those teachers not being from the country- so they have to go back and (forth) so many times-actually causes a big gap in not having sustainable education,” he said.
During his last trip, Korika took on the responsibility of sponsoring a high school education for two local girls.
“I was able to bring them from the countryside and send them to the schools in the city,” he said. “Each one of them will be costing me about $1,500 dollars a year in sheltering and schooling. It’s enough for a whole year to provide food, shelter and their education as well.”
Campbell said when these girls are given the chance to further their education they can then take what they have learned back to their tribes. He said Korika “puts his money where his mouth is.”
Korika’s own education was interrupted by war. Korika said he was fortunate enough to receive a scholarship from his church to attend two years of college. At the time, young men were required to go to war before graduation.
“I just couldn’t do it and that’s when I decided to get out of the country,” he said. “I spent two years (at college) and I didn’t even finish it because of the risk of me fighting with my own people.”
Korika left Sudan for Egypt, where he eventually made it to Maine via the United Nations resettlement program.
From the moment he arrived in the United States, Korika said his plan was to go to school. He said, however, not knowing any English was a major challenge. To overcome that challenge he enrolled in intensive Adult Education courses and today he is in his second year at Husson College, pursuing a degree in computer information systems.
Anyone interested in seeing Korika speak on June 15 should call 282-4337, ext. 222.
Comments