CDC

CDC is a cultural and creative organisation that addresses specific needs and problems, it recognises that the only sustainable, scalable and transferable solutions for refugee issues are those that listen to the refugees. CDC are led and peopled by refugees only. CDC specifically, encourages people to understand their unique cultural practices, and to harness this knowledge and connection with their community in order to promote a peaceful coexistence in the region. Linking these to practical and productive ways in which their unique traditional heritage could be maintained.

Highlighting the high rates of unemployment that resulted from illiteracy and marginalisation of communities. Martin, and the team at CDC which includes an ever growing part time legion of volunteers ensures that CDC conducts activities full time. All CDC projects are in direct representation of one or more of the UNHCR Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and they include: the current Menstrual health Management project with stakeholders that include refugee communities, the UNHCR, Office of the Prime Minister, and the Refugee Welfare Council, supported by THE UNMENTIONABLES organisation. Currently CDC also run the Match 4 Peace project with stakeholders that include the Ministry of Information & Postal Service, South Sudan, Office of the Prime Minister, Uganda, and South Sudanese communities. Currently CDC run the Trauma Healing and Reconciliations Project, successfully running since 2017 with stakeholders that include refugees in Uganda, the Ministry of Youth and Sports Uganda and the Yei River County Commissioner’s Office.

Previous activities include Meeting the other (2017) project which partnered with r0g_agency for open culture in Berlin, Office of the Prime Minister Uganda, Vienna High School and Heinz Berggruen Gymnasium. CDC had great success with Defy Hate Now Programs (2016) and Defy Hate Now Programs (2015) whose stakeholders include the German Embassy, Juba, South Sudan, refugees and host communities and the Office of the Prime Minister Uganda and support of r0g Agency for Open Culture and Critical Transformations.

CDC also had success with the Youth Peace Education Project (2014) partnered with the Yei Teachers Training College, the Yei University, and St.Paul Secondary School. Martin ensures that CDC focuses on situations relevant to disadvantaged rural and urban, women, children, young people, as well as men in the communities. CDC works with stakeholders at regional and international levels. The main stakeholders associated with this particular not for profit include Rhino Camp Refugee Settlement-Northern Uganda, the Yei Resource Community Centre, Network for African Youths for Development NAYD, and the South Sudan Older People’s Organisation.

They have helped CDC over two years to create an infrastructure and secure a network of expertise (Access Programmes) with the capacity to insure the potential for delivery of exactly the sort of programmes that are needed and wanted by CDC refugee communities, to help them direct and rebuild their lives. Once the Access Hubs are in place, HTiL will further support through their proprietary tech platform MyInform through which they will continue to help CDC to augment the already existing manual systems for Monitoring Reporting Evaluation + Information Dissemination as regards the Access programmes.

The organisation was founded with young people from Yei River State (also known as Former Central Equatorial State), South Sudan.An initiative to address concerns about the deteriorating unique cultural practices of their community. Some of the unique cultural practices supported by CDC include: 1: Ceremonies that communities create around birth, children’s naming rites and marriage. Events that bring families together and create a sense of unity and collective responsibility. 2: Indigenous languages and ancient dialects that still thrive today as well as those under threat. 3: Belief in a common ancestry which promotes a sense of brotherhood among members of the community. 4:Communal ownership of property as a cultural practice. 5: Traditional dance performance and traditional festive culinary arts are all unique cultural practices that bring families together and create a sense of unity and collective responsibility. CDC have clearly defined that Female Infibulation is not a cultural practice that CDC supports. They stand strongly against it and work towards a zero tolerance for FGM. Since 2014 CDC has successfully grown into an International network and established a substantial presence in South Sudan and Uganda and is currently expanding into the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Having achieved an excellent partnership with What3Words.org through the efforts of the HTiL and delivery of Phase 1 (the addressing of 18k refugee households in Arua camp), Phase 2 of the ABA Campaign, will be launched in 2020 along with the first MVP of the MyInform platform. MyInform will be focused on empowering refugees and host communities through better communication and information online and via sms iterations. MyInform objectives include an improved response on the part of service providers by aiding them to better understand, serve the needs and aspirations of the refugees, facilitating better dialogues and better results for both.

Access Hubs will represent the upgrading of 36 carefully chosen existing schools (exclusively for educational programmes for children) and community centres (for adult education, skills and jobs training) throughout the settlements of Rhino Camp, Imvepi and Omugo. Through HTiL, the CDC have been in direct communication with NetHope who will bring their expertise to insure internet is in place in every Hub once funding is in place for 1 year of data. Access Hubs shall include, but not be limited to, the delivery of free to attend world class education based on the SDGs and STEAM (Science Technology Engineering Arts and Math). Martin has identified and secured the following venues to host these future programmes: the Community Centre in Ofua, Cinya Primary School, Ofua, Primary School, Community Centre in Ofua, Ocea Primary School Olugobu Primary School Royal Primary School Community Centre in Eden, Cobra cope Primary School Excel Academy School Ofua Self Help Community Centre in Tika, Odobu Primary School, Kiriadouku Primary School Katiku Primary School Community Centre in Yelulu, Yoro Primary School, Wanguru Primary School, Hope Primary School Community Centre in Odubo Eden, Primary School Ofua Secondary School Community Centre in Ofua, Community Centre in Ariwa, Rhino High School, Ariwa Primary School Community Centre in Ariaze, Ariwa Primary School (Hope) Ariaze Primary School Simbili Community Centre, Tika Primary School Community Centre in Ocea A, Youth Centre in Siripi and Siripi Primary School. (More information on these venues is available).

Innovation Lab Schools project (2019) partnered with Innovation SDGs labs, the Arabic Tutor Training and Jobs Programme (2019) partnered with Chatterbox, HumanTech Innovation Lab and NeedsList (where you can find the link to help support and sponsor the first Access Hub). The Arua Settlements Legal Degree Programme (2019) partnered with the Uganda Prisons Project, HumanTech Innovation Lab and Needslist. Basic, Intermediate and Advanced Coding Training and Jobs programme (2019) partnered with Refugee Code Academy, CDC are a not for profit creative and cultural organisation. To date is has achieved all its successful outputs through fundraising and partnerships. In relation to the CDC Access Hubs, CDC will be entirely self-sustaining once the funding for the set up costs such as renovation, power and internet etc (detailed budget for the first Access Hub available at NeedsList ) has been secured. Future outputs will both benefit the CDC community and be managed and coordinated by them. Future outputs/ activities with the International project partners, providers, teachers, trainers and other jobs have been committed to, this will involve them using the CDC hubs space to deliver their programmes for the refugee communities at NO COST to the CDC or their refugee and host communities.

CDC works with stakeholders at regional and international levels. The main stakeholders associated with this not for profit include Rhino,Imvepi and Omugo Camp Refugee Settlements in Northern Uganda, the Yei Resource Community Centre, Network for African Youths for Development NAYD, and the South Sudan Older People’s Organisation. More specifically, for example, a youth programme for youth CDC also targets women and adults. The design of the programme determines who engages with it, for example: Rhino refugee camp in Uganda 70% refugees and 30% local host community members are in CDC programmes. From the start of CDC 20,000 people (from a camp of 118,0000 people) have directly benefited from CDC peace building work alone which has in turn benefitted the whole of the camp’s communities. One of the needs identified by CDC for their community is education and access to information. Refugees have problems with access to information and education, many institutions are for profit in the Uganda. Identifying education as a priority and accessing information such as hubs/labs etc as places people can go to access information is important in addition to the fact that CDC facilities are free. Hence the taking on and realisation in process of the Access programmes and Access Hubs harnessing internationally acclaimed programmes for education, skills and jobs training through online remote lesson plans, as well as lesson plans provided directly by volunteers from around the world who are willing to share their enthusiasms, know-how and experience to improve the lives and help realise the aspirations of refugees in Arua.

he UNHCR, Office of the Prime Minister, Uganda, the Refugee Welfare Council, HumanTech Innovation Lab, What3Words.or, NetHope, Chatterbox, Needslist, Innovation SDGs labs, Global Creatives for Refugees consortium, Ugandas Prisons Project, Cisco, TacOps, RCA, The Incubator, THE UNMENTIONABLES organisation, Ministry of Information & Postal Service, South Sudan, Ministry of Youth and Sports Uganda,Yei River County Commissioner’s Office, Vienna High School, Austria, Heinz Berggruen Gymnasium,Germany, the German Embassy, Juba, South Sudan, Ifa-Zivit-German Federal Office, r0g Agency for Open Culture and Critical Transformations, Germany. Yei Teachers Training College, Sudan, Yei University,Sudan, St.Paul Secondary School, Sudan, Yei Resource Community Centre, Network for African Youths for Development NAYD, and South Sudan Older People’s Organisation, the following are all based in Uganda: the Community Centre in Ofua, Cinya Primary School, Ofua, Primary School, Community Centre in Ofua, Ocea Primary School Olugobu Primary School Royal Primary School Community Centre in Eden, Cobra cope Primary School Excel Academy School Ofua Self Help Community Centre in Tika, Odobu Primary School Kiriadouku Primary School Katiku Primary School Community Centre in Yelulu, Yoro Primary School, Wanguru Primary School, Hope Primary School Community Centre in Odubo Eden, Primary School Ofua Secondary School Community Centre in Ofua, Community Centre in Ariwa, Rhino High School, Ariwa Primary School Community Centre in Ariaze, Ariwa Primary School (Hope) Ariaze Primary School Simbili Community Centre, Tika Primary School Community Centre in Ocea A, Youth Centre in Siripi and Siripi Primary School. All of these partnerships and networks ensure that CDC are recognised locally, nationally and/or internationally in its field.

Together, and as planned from the outset 24 months ago, this coordinated effort was to make the connections to proven programme leaders that the refugee communities need and want for education, therapy and skills/jobs training, and secure the pledge of those programme leaders in terms of commitment of time, energy, expertise and teaching personnel both remotely and in person, to the CDC upon the CDC Hubs being made ready spaces for these programmes to be delivered. To date CDC has achieved all its successful outputs since 2014 through fundraising initiatives by founders and partnerships with the UNHCR, Office of the Prime Minister, Uganda, the Refugee Welfare Council, HumanTech Innovation Lab, What3Words.or, THE UNMENTIONABLES organisation, Ministry of Information & Postal Service, South Sudan, Ministry of Youth and Sports Uganda,Yei River County Commissioner’s Office, Vienna High School, Austria, Heinz Berggruen Gymnasium,Germany, the German Embassy, Juba, South Sudan, Ifa-Zivit-German Federal Office, r0g Agency for Open Culture and Critical Transformations, Germany. Yei Teachers Training College, Sudan, Yei University,Sudan, St.Paul Secondary School, Sudan, Yei Resource Community Centre, Network for African Youths for Development NAYD, and South Sudan Older People’s Organisation.

CDC are empowering vulnerable groups such as refugees, women and youth. CDc creates direct jobs for youth through volunteer opportunities particularly empowering vulnerable youth. The CDC organisation’s governance includes a 50/ 50 % split for the board of directors gender balance. Among other CDC staff there are currently 45% women and CDC are working to achieve the 50 % / 50 % balance in this regard. These figures evidence how CDC pay particular attention to SDG% on gender equality. CDC have also strived to achieve SDG 4 on quality education and SDG 8 on decent work in its previous and future CDC activities. In relation to SDG4 and SDG 8, current funding being sought is specifically for the CDC Access Hubs to provide the space where programmes, already in place can begin. Which will allow CDC to achieve even more in relation to their SDG aims and objectives. As they are hosted all of these programmes bring learning, skills, jobs training, opportunities, creative learning and therapy regardless of gender. Further, the structuring of the CDC Access Hubs are specifically addressing females in that they will be some of the only places where girls and women will have the opportunity of properly maintained and stocked sanitary facilities. CDC have already successfully run projects specifically for women with international organisations like The Unmentionables. CDC have a proven track record of their commitment to women and women’s issues and the Access programmes will reflect this very specifically.

This is the only delay to delivery, the reason why Access programmes addressing Women entrepreneurship training, Arabic translation training and jobs, etc.. in turn the Innovation Labs Schools and Global Creatives for Refugees programme (amongst others planned for the CDC hubs in 2019 such as Arabic Tutor Training and Jobs Programme, Arua Settlements Legal Degree Programme, Basic IT & Tech training Programme, AI & Block Chain Incubator, Intermediate and Advanced Coding Training and Jobs have not been realised to date. Aside from this particular obstacle, everything else is in place.

the Community Centre in Ofua, Cinya Primary School, Ofua, Primary School, Community Centre in Ofua, Ocea Primary School Olugobu Primary School Royal Primary School Community Centre in Eden, Cobra cope Primary School Excel Academy School Ofua Self Help Community Centre in Tika, Odobu Primary School Kiriadouku Primary School Katiku Primary School Community Centre in Yelulu, Yoro Primary School, Wanguru Primary School, Hope Primary School Community Centre in Odubo Eden, Primary School Ofua Secondary School Community Centre in Ofua, Community Centre in Ariwa, Rhino High School, Ariwa Primary School Community Centre in Ariaze, Ariwa Primary School (Hope) Ariaze Primary School Simbili Community Centre, Tika Primary School Community Centre in Ocea A, Youth Centre in Siripi and Siripi Primary School.

These first 3 CDC Hubs will be venues for extracurricular programmes in eventually the aforementioned 36 carefully chosen existing schools (exclusively for educational programmes for children) and community centres (for adult education, skills and jobs training) throughout the settlements of Rhino Camp, Imvepi and Omugo, Uganda. CDC Hubs physical locations are to be prepared for the CDC programmes. Designed to delivery world class education, community enhancement, skills and jobs training. Access Hubs will contain tech and non-tech equipment, sustainable power and male and female sanitary facilities, and be run on strict Covid compliant hygiene standards, with the provision of infrastructures + internet connectivity as required to deliver the programmes in these accessible, safe, secure, clean and managed centres. The upgrading of these existing structures to Access Hubs will equally and very importantly also benefit their original uses as primary and secondary schools and community centres.

The ILS (Innovation Lab Schools https://innovationlabschools.com/labs.html) is to deliver an online educational and learning program for 14-16 year olds in Rhino camp through online streaming and connecting refugee learners to students and teachers across the globe. This will involve the engagement in the world famous Roots & Shoots educational method (https://rootsandshoots.global), delivering specialised classes which will offer skills and bring global awareness to the usual school environment, growing students’ empathy, and sense of empowerment to play their part in the global community as well as strengthen their confidence in all their studies.

Every volunteer individual Access Programme delivery partner will harness the unique creativity present in a combination of learning & play for healing and health, as well as personal and social development, education, skills and jobs training. This facet of the Access programmes will deliver educational and learning via individual professionals as well as amateurs from around that world, those who are willing to volunteer their time online, prepare proper lesson plans and suitable projects, and share their knowledge and skills across a wide range of subject matter; from business to horticulture, agriculture to engineering, art and music to building and cooking. The Access volunteers’ curricula will be curated around each specific refugee community via online direct teaching or online refugee teacher training/development of custom curricula, lesson plans and direction for hands on projects.

Children in Arua district are unexposed to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and are systematically only exposed to the old Ugandan curriculum of education. This does not engage their imaginations nor expand their horizons to the limitless possibilities that exist which is essential for them to optimally develop their own futures. These projects will enhance later childhood education, development, and resilience so that these older children can imagine and create a better future for themselves and their communities as they grow; building bridges locally to effect sustainable changes globally. These projects also have the added value of appealing to adults who have experienced trauma, bereavement, loss, and anxiety through being empowered with new skills for emotional expression. Which can benefit the community at large.

The Access Programmes will improve refugee school age education through in depth knowledge of the UN SDGs + the Roots & Shoots project based educational method. To maximise (with the integration of the programme into MyInform Service) the proliferation of these programmes throughout the settlements. 
Once funding is in place for the first of the three pilot Access programme hubs : Yoro Primary school, Ocea Primary School and Ofua Community Centre will be able to host the Innovation Lab Schools project as well as the other Access programmes, at NO COST to the CDC or their refugee and host communities.

Upon the success of the initial 3 CDC Hubs, a further 33 will be prepared to join the project which will directly impact the 25,000 refugee learners. Targeted to engage in the lessons, with supplementary curriculum based on the sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and STEAM (Science Technology Engineering Arts and Math), and delivered via the Roots & Shoots educational method. These outcomes will be realised in accordance with the rollout of internet into the CDC Hubs, representing CDC managed and carefully curated spaces which are safe, clean well equipped and secure as the after school venue for this as one of the CDCs extracurricular educational programmes. This development project follows on from the enormous success of efficient CDC volunteers past projects since 2014 (as listed in Question 4 of this document). Addressing Beautiful Arua (ABA)campaign is a perfect example of proof of concept of working with the CDC team. Through a partnership with What3words and Human Tech Innovation Lab, this particular campaigns successful outcomes include refugee populations receiving 3word addresses and immutable long wearing signage with their unique what3word address for complete clarity and future reference. Empowering refugees and local humanitarian organisations to operate their services, projects and programmes, improving meaningful monitoring, reporting and evaluating, targeting of beneficiaries and improvement of services offered. 50,000 (18k+ households) of the target population for 3word Addressing within the ABA campaign was reached over a 3 month period.