Friday, November 19, 2004

KONGOR STUDENTS ASSOCIATION

There is always something new in the African community in Australia. And one of the most notable developments in recent years has been the emergence of numerous community organizations; focusing on the welfare of refugees and migrants.

For example, the Kongor Students Association (KSA) was recently formed by the new arrivals to identify and promote the interests of the Dinka speaking Sudanese students in Australia.

Thus, as the name suggests, KSA is an organization run by community conscious students who sometimes act as refugee advocates. Its members are drawn largely from the various universities and colleges throughout the land. The actual number is difficult to come by, but there are about 30 KSA members in South Australia alone.

The principal objective of the KSA is to help the young Sudanese who are still languishing in the refugee camps in Africa.

The aim is to maintain direct connection with the community associations in Africa, sponsor refugees, help them to read and write, and pay their airfares to Australia, if possible.

“We have just finished building a village library”, said Kuir, who has been a good member of the KSA since its inception. “We are now raising money for books, equipment, clothing, and writing materials for the kids”.

Thus, it goes without saying that donations from the KSA activists (and their supporters) in Australia is already making life a little more comfortable for the Sudanese kids in the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya.

Meanwhile, more funds are needed for other projects which are still in pipeline.

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