CARDO South Sudan has handed over a Community Protection Centre to the community of Alel-Chok A (Zogolona), in Wau, Western Bahr el Ghazal state, the Community Protection Centre was constructed with funding from UNHCR, And on the same event CARDO with the community of Alele-Chok Celebrate the Social Cohesion, among Refugee Returnees and the Host Community.
The handing over of this facility was grace by the Director General in the Ministry of Gender, Child and Social welfare, Western Bahr Ghazal State Mama Ann Daniel Ali, in her remark the Director General has urged the community of Alel-chok not to underrate the physical structure, but to look at the services that it will provide to the community, “People see this building as small, but it has a big work Chief this small building here, is small because it may not take all of us at once, but everyone will come here with his/her problem at a different time. Means problems do not arise at the same time, they come at different times and many people will not come at the same time, meaning this building can accommodate all the issues in our community”.
The DG also call upon the community to refrain from forceful and early marriage in the community, “The issue of early marriage is not good and will not let our country progress. Let’s send our girls to school and let them finish their studies, let’s stop early marriage, so that community of Alel-chok will have educated girls and women. Anyone who sees forceful or early marriage in the community should report it to the Ministry of Gender, Child and Social welfare”.
For his part the UNHCR representative Mr. Armin Hoso has stressed the importance of the facility and the services that it will provide to the host community, the Refugee returnees, and the IDP, “is important to have such a community getting together and constructing this community centre that will serve all people, host community, returnees, IDPs and whoever lives here, so it is for everybody. This is not just for returnees, IDPs or host communities it is for everybody. To make sure our activities support those who return, those who are displaced and of course to build up this community”.
Speaking during the same event Mr. Orasio Opiyo the Executive Director for CARDO South Sudan explain the reason for constructing a community protection centre in Alel-chok, “this centre is part of the bigger project that we are implementing with the UNHCR in WBeG state, it is main to support refugee returnees, IDPs returnees, IDPs Who are still living in IDP camp, the former POC which is currently known as Navasha IDP camp and Hia Masana IDP camp, but also supporting the vulnerable host communities across the state, particularly in Wau Municipality, Wau County and Jur-River County”.
Mr Opiyo also remind the community of Alel-chok about the inclusivity of the centre, “This centre is main to bring all the communities together, there is no different, that this person was a refugee returnee or an IDP and this one is host community, we were all one it is due to the conflict that happens which make some of us seek protection somewhere, but as we return back we need a space where we come together and continue promoting our diverse culture as one people”.
