Green Kordofan, marks International Peace Day 2021 in Folkestone with an event known as "Our World on a plate" which will bring delicious food and music from around the globe.
To raise awareness for the charity that uses sports to build confidence and self-esteem among children that have been separated from their families because of civil war and/or unrest. Most of Green Kordofan’s work has taken place in refugee camps in South Sudan where we run a girls' volleyball team, have established over 30 football teams for boys and girls and provide social support for local issues like social equity, conflict resolution and the eradication of HIV.
Join us this Tues 21st Sept from 4pm to 8pm at the Folkestone Harbour Arm “the harbour screen”.

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The event is supported by BAFTA award-winning actress Jessica Hynes!
We present:
Figure to Ground – a Site Losing its System - a 12-minute film by Felicity Allen
Singing for Peace also, the Jazz & Rock Singer Carol Grimes singing a special song for Peace with Annie Whitehead jazz trombone player
In addition to showcasing various artworks by amazing artists from the creative group in Folkestone.
There will be poetry, digital artist display, a secret auction,
a cultural food taster provided by @Sistahintheraw @therawsoulkitchen.
Please, kindly help us spread the word.
Thank you!
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​Why read anything at all into the act of walking,
except that it reads something into us,
makes us feel different, refreshed, smoothed out each time,
as if we had walked the body into liquid or transparency
and made our spirit strong.
 
And as if the spirit instructed by the body
was walking its journey into being,
not out of itself
but into.

​We congregated just below the white Martello tower on Copt Point, made our introductions, then headed up to the top of Dover Hill as if we were ascending a high summit in the Himalayas. Well why not, we chatted. This land mass of chalk-compacted coccoliths may have been pushed up by a similar geological movement of tectonic plates just before the Himalayas – sixty-six as opposed to fifty million years. Then the cliff at Dover Hill boasts the highest in southern England after Golden Cap in Dorset far to its west; and at Botley Hill the Downs are said to be one third of the height of Scafell Pike, England’s highest peak

​Ok, to equate this slight swelling in the land we were now treading with such grandness and majesty was nothing short of an extreme elaboration. But again, why not? Really this was metaphor for something else. To remember that ascent now is to recall something good and majestic that took place between us as people not mountains. A diverse group from far and near like pilgrims out of the Canterbury Tales chatting merrily all those twenty-three miles to the cathedral. As well as the mind and body fusing as it does in the rhythm of walking we were engrossed with each other, engaging in stories, ideas, reflections and secrets as if we’d never been strangers. But aware that a place in Africa bound us. 

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​​​Did we sing as we took our leave of Elham alongside the Nailbourne? No, not exactly. But Elham Valley Way was not as straight as I’d assumed, so we had to concentrate on a meandering criss-crossing of the road, then as little rewards feast on sights like white and yellow wildflowers, purple orchids nodding in our direction as we passed, fields of green crop rippling in the wind like the surface of the sea.
 
Along the Nailbourne a row of quaking aspen with diamond shaped hollows in smooth grey bark, had fluttered high, their leaves set on long stalks with odd twists quivering in the slightest breeze, whole crowns wobbling on an upper storey sounding like seas that had been taken into the skies. Populus is distantly derived from the Greek flutter papaillo I read later, and leads to the French papillon, butterfly. This tremble-flutter movement of leaves helps the tree take in more carbon, increasing its growth but also making it thirsty. Twist, flicker, suck. It thrives understandably on the swampy ground we pass by. Have we all got our bottled water we check with each other as if we were crossing arid plains.

All along we outwitted cows and horses who might have chased the group’s dog. We posed no threat to sheep. Lunched in the pouring rain. Clambered and dropped ourselves over stone walls shattered by trees. Some even carried children on their backs. At last and to impress the Dean of Canterbury who welcomed us at the Cathedral on our arrival, the dog did his 'taking himself for a walk routine' which involved holding the handle of the lead in his mouth and prancing around like a demented pony.
 
But if there was fault all along in our helplessness against the perpetrators of atrocities in Sudan, and our separation from it was highlighted by our very effort towards it, these beautiful dry valleys outstretching in spurs and combes like fingers from the Downs going westwards, knew our consternation. If we hid it sometimes the land didn’t and as conduit for feelings and thoughts for healing focused us on the purpose of our walk. Above or below the hopelessness, snaking further west away from Canterbury towards those pilgrims who first set off from Winchester, these green and pleasant pastures, however far from the arid, wretched ones of Sudan, were a continuum. They showed us the possibility of connection.  
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Land as flesh sharpens. Joy is in the earth everywhere. Perhaps we can help improve the lives of the children a little bit. Perhaps we can preserve the comradery we have just shared as walkers. I have been impressed by a good deed like the wax the seal:  the kindnesses I experienced forty years ago from a Sudanese family in Khartoum who took me into their home, a complete stranger, protected me from a coup, enfolded me in their family warmth, planted generosity as a living known, into my mind. So that into it now, like into the beneficence of these cupping green valleys, forever pours the gift that is Sudan.
 
A big thank and several hugs for Raga who organised this, Chris who led, and each and every other extraordinary walker.
 

This is a fundraiser to support women and children in South Sudan via Green Kordofan; any donations towards this cause will be greatly appreciated
The team are raising funds to employ a nurse to help children in Yida refugee camp in South Sudan.
​You can donate through JustGiving,Click here,Thank you!

This weekend, to commemorate the life of Arike (January 17th 1949 – June 12th 2020), I invite you all to have your own G7 meetings in groups of 7. Arike introduced me to co-counselling & it is in the spirit of mutual sharing that we can come together in our groups.
We can bring simple food & drink
Share our stories
Share our laughter
Be spontaneous Do what feels right in the moment.
You can meet up in your groups wherever suits you best...
Around your favourite Folkestone stones
At Mermaid Beach
In a meadow
On a hilltop
The choice is yours.
If each person can donate £5 to a mental health charity of their choice that would be great. If, you support Green Kordofan, the money will go towards empowering our friends in South Sudan so that they too can enjoy their own G7 meetings.
Do please feel free to support your local mental health organisations. 
Please share your photos at: greenkordofan@gmail.com

 #Act
#Talk with friends
#Inspire
Please take the liberty of extending your meeting times; they don’t need to be on this particular weekend. If you are interested & would like to know more, feel free to contact Raga at: greenkordofan@gmail.com
To know more about co counselling visit: http://www.co-counselling.org.uk/
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​Not long before our walk on Saturday, we can’t wait!

​Do sign up by email if, you can join us at: greenkordofan@gmail.com
Saturday 22nd May 2021.
10.00am – 3.30pm
We will start from No 3 Martello tower in Folkestone on the cliff edge at Folkestone above Copt Point/ Wear Bay Rd, at the junction with Foreland Avenue, CT19 6PY and close to the bowling Club. There is a small car park, where we will meet
Please arrive at 9:40 am and we will start out at 10am and bring some lunch to share.
Lunch breaks at: Paddlesworth- about 5.5 miles from Folkestone.
We have a stunning route planned for this walk to Elham and beautiful landscape.
There's a bus stop very close to the church for No 17 bus to take you back to Folkestone (Canterbury to Folkestone bus)

Please arrive in Elham by 9:40 am
Start time: 10:00 am
We will meet in the square in EIham in front of the King’s Arm’s pub
We will go along Cock Lane (by the side of the King’s Arm’s pub) then diagonally across the field to the Elham Valley Way (EVW). Again, stunning scenery all along the way to Canterbury.

We hope to stop briefly at Jumping Down for lunch, and hopefully arrive at the cathedral by 4:30pm
We are hoping that the Dean of Canterbury, Robert Willis, will welcome us to the Cathedral at the end of our 22-mile walk to raise funds for those who are suffering from the conflict in Sudan
Please help reach our fundraising target and reach more people by sharing this.
To donate click: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/Thefriendspilgrimage
Thank you in advance for your help, we’ll look forward to seeing you there very much.
 
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A safe space for women and child refugees
Imagine growing up in a refugee camp, or trying to raise your children there. Little privacy, little access to healthcare or education. That’s why the Kent-based charity Green Kordofan is asking for your help to provide a safe space for women and children.
Green Kordofan has been offering support to children in the Yida refugee camp in South Sudan since 2011. This three-minute video explains some of the work we have done already – but there is so much more to do. We want to provide women and children with a place to get confidential advice and treatment for medical conditions, to learn about issues like menstruation and hygiene, to help them manage the many challenges of life in the camp, in the brutal aftermath of war.
Please view and share the video, and donate if you are able

​We would like to thank you all for your amazing contributions to the Peace Day Discussion event on Monday, 21st September 2020.  We sincerely hope you found it useful.
As we all learnt in the meeting Yida came into as explained by Mr. Peter Moszynski before the split between Sudan and South Sudan.  It was originally an Internally Displaced Person’s (IDP) camp which existed before there was an international border between Sudan and South Sudan and was self-organized differently from the standard model usually set by UNHCR.
What matters to Green Kordofan as a charity is the shocking humanitarian situation in Yida where men, women and children continue to find themselves in dire need and we would like to contribute positively to alleviate their suffering.  

We hope you can join us in this journey, if you would like to contribute by donation
Here is the link to JustGiving page: https://www.justgiving.com/green-kordofan
To get involved by sharing your skills, please email: greenkordofan@gmail.com
We would like to thank and acknowledge the support of the following individuals and organisations.

We would like to thank and acknowledge the support of the following individuals and organisations

• Helen Sharp of Folklife Folkestone (https://www.folklife.uk).
• Waging Peace (https://wagingpeace.info/)
• Elizabeth Hodgkin of the Opportunity Through Education (OTE) charity who connected us with their Nuba students who are funded by OTE to study at Kampala University, Juba Centre and who have families in Yida camp.
• Kent Refugee Help and Refugee walkers’ group for their help with supporting and promoting the event
• Nora Dooley, from the coaches across continents (CAC) and the ASK for Choice team of Global Leaders in Sport for Social Impact.
• Dr Ahmed Al-Shahi of St Antony's College, Oxford
• Amber Kurson of the Oregon Jewish Museum and Centre for Holocaust Education, Portland, Canada for providing tech support.

Green Kordofan welcomes all comments about the Peace Day Discussion and our thanks go to all of you who wrote to us after; your feedback is highly appreciated.
And to our wonderful speakers for their generous contributions.  

Below are some of the comments we received after the event mostly by email, text and Whatsapp. 
  
“it was so interesting.  I met Raga some time ago at a Unite Community meeting, and it's been great to see the organisation she has built.  Good luck to all those involved with it.” Said K Murphy
 
“it was very educational, I have learned so much, Thanks” Aida Silvestri (trustee)

Helen Backhouse said: “Thank you for a great evening on international peace day. Everyone cared about Yida and spoke informatively. I had thought the pictures made it look clean and well-organised compared with other camps I have seen on TV but the words from the people who live there, at the beginning reminded me of grimmer realities. I hope they are not displaced forcefully to the new place.Small and large organisations should be able to support them.” 
 
That was lovely, Raga, thank you so much, Paul Winter
 
"Well done for last evening. It was very interesting and informative."  Katherine 
 
Josie Wade “well done for the event last night! It was really a wonderful evening; I have learnt so much! Thank you
 
Yesterday's event was fantastic, it was interesting to see the issues in Nuba and Yida from a different perspective.  Said Zaki Samwel.

It was so privileged to be one of the attendees. The seminar was quite successful given the fact that all guests speakers were the right choice, with great experience and good knowledge about the plight of Sudanese people. Green kordofan was absolutely fortunate to have people like Mukesh Kabila, Peter Moszky, Peter Veren, the director of Waging peace and all who participated either with comments or questions. Congratulations and well done Green Kordofan. Isaac M Kuku

Emma: Congratulations Raga. The zoom event was amazing, sorry I have to leave after an hour. But in that time, I learnt a lot and it was great the way Sonja and Maddy painted a picture of the fantastic work of Green Kordofan in Yida”. 
 
For those of you who missed the event and would like to learn about the situation here some few articles:
Nuba. Sudan’s struggling people: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/964022.stm
South Sudan Development: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201012/cmselect/cmintdev/writev/1570/ss14.htm
You will also find today report from the UK Immigration tribunal below
Update: UK immigration tribunal: https://www.freemovement.org.uk/tribunal-says-no-general-risk-to-nuba-in-sudan/
 
Here’s  a link to Mukesh Kapila’s books at Amazon : https://www.amazon.co.uk/Books-Mukesh-Kapila/s?rh=n%3A266239%2Cp_27%3AMukesh+Kapila
To escape from politics, I recommend  the Rough Guide to the Music of Sudan a collection made by Peter Verney in 2004 which shows the awesomeness of diversity in Sudan, click at this link  & enjoy: https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-rough-guide-to-the-music-of-sudan-mw0000655368
Learn about our latest activities: ​See part of Green Kordofan activities in Yida featured at BBC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ga3pcblJo3I  

It's the wet season in Yida right now. Rain has been falling almost every day this August - sometimes all day!
But the good news is that we have delivered your very kind gifts, thank you so much!
Sports kit & various gifts have been sent by Mr. Ben Van Nes on behalf of several UK football clubs.
We have also been able to send some essential equipment for David 'Abdigan,' our senior coach co-ordinator, and his team in Yida.

We sent a very special gift of 5 assorted rubber balls, a Sondico double action pump and an Apple iPad, this from our late friend, Arike. We are truly thankful to Arike’s partner, Leah Thorn, who kindly delivered the gift.
All this has really filled staff, volunteers and youngsters in Yida with joy,despite the challenging circumstances. Again a big thank you!
 (pictures about the arrival of sports kit for the FA)

 Here are some photos of some happy receivers, Thank you!

Bakit, is victim of war who was injured, lost his sight, some of fingers and a child during one of the aerial bombardment in the Nuba.  Eree his village in Hieban county, affected badly and they had to run for their lives.
 The one room that, he shares with his survived children and wife in Yida camp damaged by the recent heavy rains and winds. COVID-19 hit the only way, he was making making income. His wife also,lost her customers and the income she was making from servitute and cleaning. 

See below what he has to say,
"I used to go to Yida market and beg for food, from the businessmen there. sometimes they give something,sometimes nothing at all. we were living just like that, now it become very difficult!
Sorry, I feel emotional!
Since Corona, no much happening, no one gave me anything. Oh, its incredible  feelings,  smell new clothes! and for my children too, thank you,God bless you!" 

We are so pleased to be able to help someone like Bakit.  it makes it all worth while...

As you know, we don’t only organise sport. This is a short recording of a session from our latest awareness raising initiatives with the children in Yida. Mr Bolis Yida, camp manager, is also seen attending. 

Young people participating in leafleting....

Tomorrow‘s swim for the charity Green Kordofan by Award-winning actress Jessica Hynes  is rescheduled to Tuesday, 7th of July because of the weather forecast, we have been watching the waves and decided it's better to do It then!


New date is : Tuesday 7th July , 12 midday 

The Spaced star is preparing to swim 4.6 miles along the Kent coast between the Hythe Imperial Hotel, in Hythe, and Sunny Sands beach, in Folkestone.
We will meet at Hythe Imperial
A support boat by the wonderful David Harvey, from Folkestone lifeboat will be supporting too 

......... will swim to the Mermaid Beach, arriving around 2pm if all goes well.  
 
A huge thank you to all who made a donation to support the two causes, it means so much!

Below are links for the fundraisers
Please share, if you can 
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https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Jessica-Hynes2?utm_campaign=lc_frp_share_transaction_transactional_--_page_launched_--_campaign&utm_content=34c54840-7fc4-451a-aa0a-a05c1d8d4c71&utm_medium=email&utm_source=postoffice&utm_term=1592382684051

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Jessica-Hynes1?utm_campaign=lc_frp_share_transaction_transactional_--_page_launched_--_campaign&utm_content=66199b0c-6b9d-4574-a96e-e4151ae8fd8e&utm_medium=email&utm_source=postoffice&utm_term=1592381133054
 
Thank you!
 

CELEBRATING THE CONTRIBUTION OF OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH THE 10K FUN RUN IN FOLKESTONE OVER THE PAST YEARS!​Thanks to all of the very generous people who put on our Green Kordofan T. Shirts in the spirit of sports and support for our aim to bring fun and normality into the lives of young people in Yida Camp, by taking part in the coastal fun run and other charity races in the same spirit each year!

​COVID-19 has made it very difficult for some of our activities to continue this year, but your love, donations and energy continues to keep us going, so many thanks to everyone who takes part.

If, you would like to take part in the run this spetmber, please click here to register and mentioned Green Kordofan as a cause you support, thanks again and Keep well.
more information about the race is available at ​Folkestone Coastal 10k website.

​​Kuko lives in Yida refugee camp he is from the Nuba Mountains and wants to be like Messi. This interview was conducted by David who is Kuko's football coach in the camp.
Kuko lost his arm it had to be amputated after a bomb fell on him and the people he was with, they ran for cover under a tree and he woke up in the hospital.

Kuko like many children from Sudan have been displaced. He joined Green Kordofan in 2017 and it has given him something to make himself feel a bit better and given him dreams to aspire to.
We are not asking for much just a bit of support so we can help support amazing children like Kuko. 23,000 children live in Yida refugee camp alone but there are many camps all full of Sudanese and South Sudanese children in need of basic human kindess.... The joy that Kuko gets from playing football cannot be measured many will never leave the camp and many will be forced out when they reach 18years of age

and below as he playing football with his mates.