ACHIEVEMENTS

OF

ATITA SOLIDARITY SERVICES: 1996 – 2006

 

Atita Solidarity Services has achieved the following in the past 5 years:

 

1.    The positive impact of establishing partnerships with Atita Partners inside and abroad and others e.g. Propaganda Fidei, AMA, Noi Insieme, Agrilatina, HOPE Canada, Parish of Villafranca, Aversa, Good Shepherd, etc.

2.     Promotion of basic education, scholarship programs to some needy children and young people, etc.

3.     Promotion of peace-building and reconciliation activities

4.     The impact on the rural household and communities through Atita Programs e.g. Sustainable Agriculture, Women empowerment, etc.

5.     Some Projects have greatly improved namely the farming, socio-economic promotion, etc.

6.     The diocesan Bishop, some priests, religious, laity, National and Local Civil Leaders are becoming more involved in Atita activities at different level.

 

 

CHALLENGES OF THE NEW MILLENNIUM:

 

Atita Solidarity Service’s Challenges:

 

In our strategic plan we have to read the signs of the times and reflect on what the real environment looks like in our society so that Atita addresses real issues which affect people's lives from the grassroots. The following factors in Sudan have to be taken in consideration in all our activities:

 

1)     Education:

 

For decades millions of children in the Sudan have gone with out education, such situation is alarming, if the Sudan has to emerge out of violence and negative stories which go with it, education must be number one priority.

 

2)     Absence of Peace:

 

Knowing the fact that the number one reason for the poverty and suffering of the Sudanese people is the absence of peace, the Atita provides peace-building programs on all levels. The Association hopes to enter into a leading partnership with the United Nations’ Secretary General for Children and Armed Conflict, in order to raise awareness about the plight of children trapped in situations of armed conflict, and to provide educational opportunities for war affected children.

 

3)     Atita is working to create a generation of peace-builders

 

from Sudan grass-root levels to an international level. Atita is also educating and empowering thousands of young people to embrace cultural diversity and create a more just and humane Sudan and world.

 

4)     Poverty:

 

In this New Millennium one of the most negative aspects in our society is Poverty. There is an increasing income-gap in our Country as the poor get poorer while few rich ones get richer. There is a need for increased services from the Church and State to embark on Programs jointly that assist people to fight poverty.

 

5)     Events:

 

Which have a bearing on the future, like the killer diseases such as Malaria, HIV / AIDS pandemic, drought, insurgencies and regional instability.

 

6)     Insurgencies and Regional instability:  

 

In the Sudan, we have had a long war for about 55 years (1954-2005) which calls for National Reconciliation Advocacy, Peace and consensus building. Community leaders both civil and government at various levels should be assisted to appreciate that Reconciliation and Peace building are a collaborative effort that enables them to become critical players in advocating for peace related policies in peace and consensus building initiatives.

 

7)     Key Factors:

 

In development like: the family which must be addressed in order to achieve real development and identify people who must be promoted to be agents of their own development.

 

8)     Trends:

 

Within and outside the country like the field of interest of our Atita partners, economic liberation and growth of regional institutions in our areas.

 

9)     National Strength:

 

Like the macro-economic stability, economic growth, enabling policies in economic, social, political environmental, cultural and technological areas.

 

 

10)National Weakness:

 

Like Racism, Religious intolerance, tribalism, nepotism, corruption, regional inequalities, poverty, political instability, gender inequalities and a poor communication network.

 

11)Opportunities:

 

Like appropriate technological advancement, donor confidence, regional integration, and globalization.

 

12)Threats.

 

Fragile peace agreement and delicate implementation of the peace agreement. To our national development like the burden of the International Debt, Internally displaced people, refugees’ inflows, regional instability and global warming due to charcoal and burning, pollution e.g. fish poisoning and desertification.

 

13)Democracy and good Governance:

 

We need capacity building in the area of Democracy and Good Governance. This program seeks to strengthen the involvement of Community leaders and civil society organizations in working for a 'just' Society and to make Government Leaders and Institutions accountable to the people.

 

14)Globalization.

 

The effects of globalization are leading to the shrinkage of the role of Government in Sudan and domination of social, political and economic life by the private sector and Trans-National Corporations (TNC). Western types of government currencies and the western culture will continue to characterize life in the country. Capitalism will continue to be part and partial of the Sudan Society.

 

Our strategies are formulated with the above considerations as a foundation and as a means of implementing them. Given Sudan's current status in the economic, social, political, ecological, cultural and technological fields on one hand, and the issues noted above on the other hand, we have formulated strategies bearing in mind critical targets which are of a strategic nature that must be accomplished to ensure that our aspirations for healthier generations are attained with the assistance of our partners, whom Pope John Paul II invited to be more generous to offer to poor Dioceses economic assistance dedicated to projects that will generate resources with a view to increasing the financial self-reliance of the Churches [Cf. Ecclesia in Africa No. 104]

 

 

 

 

SUMMARY:

 

Formed: January 1999 (Sudanese refuges settlement in Central African Republic) in the diocese of Tombura-Yambio, South Sudan

 

Number of Chapters :                       37

 

Number of Active Volunteers:            99

 

Number of Current Projects:             11

 

Funds raised in 2004: approx.                   $19,000

 

Funds raised in 2005: approx.                   $29,000