PRAfrica
Poverty Relief
コロナ禍に端を発した経済停滞、社会不安の影響で、多くの人々が、私どもが支援する子どもたちも保護者と一緒に、または子供たちだけで食費住居費のかかる町暮らしを止め、さらに奥まった村々に移り住んでいます。
探すツテ、手掛かりがなく今も音信不通になったままの支援子供も5人ほどいますが、Joyceなどの奮闘で探し当てた子供たちを、数か月続いている雨季で、４WDの大型タイヤが埋まってしまうドロドロ泥土の悪路を1日1件ずつ、丸一日がかりで訪問‼、等々のリポートです。
やはり、“百聞は一見にしかず”、写真と説明でご覧ください。
As a result of the economic stagnation and social unrest caused by the pandemic, many people have given up living in town, where the cost of living is higher, and
have moved to villages farther inland. Among them are children supported by us, who relocated either with their parents or on their own.
Though we had lost touch with five children we support and had no way of finding them nor any clue as to their whereabouts, Joyce and others had located almost all
of them.
During the months-long rainy season, we spent nearly an entire day traveling to see each child, our four-wheel drive vehicle getting stuck in the mud of the bad
roads along the way. Here is the report. As the saying goes, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” So, please take a look.
Adong Rose （P.4）父、兄姉と別れ、カラモジャランドとの境界に近い村で一人、オバさん宅に預けられています。長い間、靴と算数セットが欲しいと聞いてましたが、ようやく叶えてやれました。左は校長先生、右はオバさんの夫。
Adong Rose (P.4=4th grade) parted with her father and siblings and is now living with her aunt in a village near the border with Karamoja. We’d heard long ago
that she wanted shoes and an arithmetic kit and were finally able to get them to her. On the left is the school principal. On the right is her uncle.
Ojok Emmanuel（P.6）とAkello Sharon（P.6）兄妹。支援者の方からいただいていたTシャツを手に。近隣ではコロナの影響が酷く、最近まで学校閉鎖だったため、成績は中程度ですが、二人ともリーダー格！と。
Brother and sister Ojok Emmanuel and Akello Sharon (both P.6=sixth graders) hold T-shirts they received from supporters. The pandemic took a heavy toll in the
vicinity, and until recently their school was closed. So, their grades were not so well, but they are both leaders in their class.
Aromorac Babra（p.6）と Lubanganyeyo Stephen (p.4)姉弟。村の学校では、制服や靴などうるさく言われないので、他の多くの子供たちと同じく二人ともハダシでした！ 念のため、と持って行った靴がピッタリでした。Babraの制服のシャツは、ただ今修繕中とのこと。
Brother and sister Aromorac Babra (P.6) and Lubanganyeyo Stephen (P.4) attend a village school that is not strict about requiring uniforms or shoes. So, like
many other children, they go to school barefoot. The shoes that were taken along just in case they could use them fit perfectly. Babra’s uniform shirt is being mended.
Canwat Brian(p.4), Aketowanga Sarah(p.4), Latabu Jackline(P.5), Laker Sunday(p.4)。町のPublic 小学校に通学継続。
約3年ぶりに図書館に姿を見せました。制服は、小さくなりすぎていたり,ネズミなどに食いちぎられていたり…、なので、直したり、村の学校に転校し不要になった大きい子たちの『お下がり』をもらったり…。
Canwat Brian (4th grade), Aketowanga Sarah (4th grade), Latabu Jackline (5th grade) and Laker Sunday (4th grade) continue to go to Public primary school. They
came to the library for the first time in about three years. Their uniforms had become too small for them and had been chewed on by rats. They have mended their uniforms or gotten hand-me-down
uniforms from bigger children who transferred to a village school and no longer needed theirs.
Acen Nakate Harriet (P.7)。こちらも3年ぶり.県境を二つ越えた東部の県に、何年も眠っていた支援者の方からの手紙とプレゼントを持って行きました。彼女は間もなく、PLE（Primary Leaving
Exams小学校卒業テスト）を受験します。副校長先生は、「優秀なので期待できる!」と。
Acen Nakate Harriet (7th grade) crossed two regional borders to the eastern district. After three years she was given letters and presents from her supporter
that had been waiting for her for several years. She will soon take the Primary Leaving Exams to graduate from primary school. The vice principal said she is an excellent student with a promising
future.
Opoka Brian (S.3）。祖母や義弟妹を養うためS.(Secondary)を休学続きで、出稼ぎに行っていたりしましたが、久々姿を見せました。手にするのは、長い間この時を待っていた支援者の方からの手紙とプレゼント。右端は仲良しのRubangakene Dauzi
(S.3)。二人の間はLawrence、故Emmaの弟。大学の費用を貯めるため、図書館を手伝ってくれています。大変頼りになっています！
Opoka Brian (S.3=3rd year secondary), who had dropped out of secondary school and gone away to work to support his grandmother, sister and brother-in-law,
came to visit for the first time in a long while. He holds his supporter’s letter and present that had been waiting for him for a long time. On the far right is his friend Rubangakene Dauzi
(S.3=3rd year secondary). Between them is Lawrence, younger brother of the late Emma. In order to save money for college, he is helping out at the library. He is very reliable.
Wokorac Dick(s.2)。お母さんが、ガバメント病院の清掃員に就職できたので、secondary (高校)に通えるようになり、学校休暇や日曜などに、図書館を手伝ってくれるようになりました！ 赤ペンで採点中。
Wokorac Dick (S.2=2nd year secondary) was able to start secondary school because his mother got a job on the cleaning staff of the government hospital. He has
begun helping out at the library on school holidays and Sundays. He is grading papers with a red pen.