STORIES FROM AFRICA

Sarah
Student, Gloria Mt. Sinai Junior Preparatory School
Ghana
PTPI School and Classroom Program

I am writing to express my view about what I have learnt in the PTPI program (School and Classroom Program). Actually, I have learnt many things from this program. Some of the things are how to make friends with the foreign students in America. Also, I have learnt many things in their country. So I think this program must be encouraged.

Entumbane Secondary School (15-19)
Zimbabwe
Child Labor Project (i-EARN)

I am an A level student studying science, math, and physics at Mpopoma High School in Bulawayo, the 2nd largest city in Zimbabwe. I and my fellow students have started collecting and researching the subject of child labor practices around the world and we shall be writing our first article in few days time. This group is comprised of students from Entumbane Secondary School, which is not far away from Mpopoma High. We have just started compiling information about this project and we look forward to doing a lot of research. We also look forward to making people in our country aware of our findings and the outcomes of the project.

Students (Age: 14-19)
Achimota School, Ghana

We the students of Achimota school are gathering information on substances commonly abused in their community and also at the recovery programs available to victims of substance abuse in Ghana. This will involve interviews, visits to rehabilation homes etc. The information gathered will be exchanged with students in other schools world-wide who are can also participate in the project by looking at the problems in their communities.

Peace Muse Freetown
Sierra Leone

Some questions from a class of 10 and 11 year olds at the East Narrogin Primary School, Narrogin, Western Australia were sent to Michael Laban of Mine-Tech. The answers are below. Michael Laban was away for several weeks (which is why we couldn't send him the questions earlier; but soon as we did, he returned the answers to us in 24 hours!)

Hello, It has now been a very long time. I have just returned from a holiday, driving 9000 km to the Northern hemisphere via Zambia, Tanzania and Kenya (where I crossed the equator). The roads were very bad and I am afraid I took my truck places I should not have, but it went very well and I had no problems. The kids in Dombe are probably not aware of the scope of the interest in them and their mine problem. We have finished there for the moment, but should be there again for sectors C and D next month. There was a lack of funding (one funder went back on their promises, leaving priority targets uncleared) but we have found more. I will try to get some comments from the children there when we get back, and will pass them on. Demining in Dombe so far: Sectors A, B, E and G have been cleared, for a total of 60 864.5 sq m. We have destroyed 1 AT mine, 25 AP mines, 1 AG mine, 40 UXO and 4030 Small Arms Ammunition pieces. Not a bad set of findings, showing that it was a fairly heavily mined area.

In the past, we have found many more mines in less space in Bosnia; on the other hand, we have also found many less mines in the same area in other parts of Manica Province. There were no casualties while we were there, neither to us nor the local population. Zvakanaka Michael Laban Mine-Tech / IHDD Team The internet allows for greater dissemination of ideas. Having the afflicted children themselves tell their stories is one of the best ways to bring the issue of child soldiers and the use of children in war to the forefront of attention. To enforce this story telling, a whole gamut of artistry and technology is now available. As a result our children have been able to voice their thoughts and ideas through music which is at present incorporated into digital audio techniques on the web.