This week we dedicate our blog to remembering my Sudanese father Mohamed Habiballa, and post some pictures of a sad, but special day when we learned of his passing.
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| Mohamed Habiballa |
The Habiballa family first introduced me to the Sudan in
2005, shortly after the Comprehensive Peace Agreement was signed. Their family’s
organization - the American Sudanese Council - worked hard to foster a better
relationship between the Sudan and America and to help push forward the peace
process. Their inspiration led to 'Homes for Sudan' to provide some tools for the
people from Darfur to help rebuild their lives in a bigger and better way.
The
amazing people on our Mayo project team have demonstrated a cohesiveness, determination, and
work ethic unlike any we have yet seen in the Sudan. On our visit to Jebel Aulia, the whole team decided in solidarity that if the authorities did
not let the two people from Belgium (Mathi and Djo), and the two from America
(Doc and Jason) access the bridge and dam - then they would not go either.
In the end we all got to go. We feel certain that the
individual and collective members of the team will work together to carry on
the legacy of helping each other to rebuild houses for the displaced, to build
businesses for themselves, and make better lives for those who have endured war
and conflict. Posted are a few pictures below of a day demonstrating the spirit
of some great people from the Sudan and the legacy of Mohamed Habiballa’s kind
and noble spirit as he continues to support us from his new life beyond.
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| Rashid Adil (Malam Darfur Peace and Development), Abubaker Omer (SHPDO), Najlaa Abdul Aziz (ARC Peace Sudan), Rihab Germa (Dalu for Development), Mohammed Issa Jedu (Malam Darfur), and Mujtaba Muhammad (NOHS), |
A recap of the organizations participating in this project with Homes for Sudan and who will take the knowledge to other parts of the Sudan: USAID/TEPS (Toward Enduring Peace in Sudan), SHPDO (Sudanese Hilef for Peace and Development Organization), NOHS (National Organization for Humanitarian Services), ARC Peace Sudan, For A Purpose (Belgium), University of Khartoum, and finally our lovely hosts, Mayo Women's Association - Dalu for Development.
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| We managed a picture of all of us at Jebel Aulia (plus a few local kids who sneaked in the picture) Here we pay tribute to all of our supporters from: USAID/TEPS, Seeds for Jubilee, the Stead Family Foundation, the Haggar Foundation, AECOM, the University of Khartoum the Habiballa family, the Murtada al Moushley family, Imam Ahmed Al Mahdi, Mr. Maher at AFRA Plastics Industry, Adam Chalupski |
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| A local fisherman shows his catch to Abubaker Omer (SHPDO), Mubarak Hassan (NOHS), Jooren Surmont (AKA Djo from For A Purpose), Jason Matus (AECOM US), Suliman Mousa (Malam Darfur), and Mohamed Issa (Malam Darfur) |
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| Rihab Germa (Dalu for Development) keeps Najlaa Abdul Aziz (ARC Peace Sudan) company by the Nile - as we bid farewell to our great architect supporter |
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| Architect Mubarak Hassan (NOHS) braves the stairs on the dam at Jebel Aulia |
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| Mubarak Hassan (NOHS), Mujtaba Muhammad (NOHS), extend a hand to Hassan Mustafa, one of our mixer helpers who we discover has a university degree in mathematics |
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| Jason (AECOM US/Sudan) chats with Djo (For A Purpose) by the water |
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| Fatima Abdal Samad (Dalu for Development) with her baby (that everyone holds), while Rihab Germa (Dalu for Development) jokes with Mathias Vandewouwer (For A Purpose) about stealing him away from his girlfriend while preparing freshly roasted and ground coffee for the group |
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| Suliman Mousa (Malam Darfur) holds Fatima's baby while Rashid Adil (Malam Darfur) jams with Amjed Mussa (Mayo - studying to be a lawyer) and Hassan Salah (Rotary Club Khartoum) |
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| Ahmed Ali (AKA Dr. Turab from Mayo), Hassan Mustafa, Saifadin Nouradin (Malam Darfur) and Lila Khamis (Dalu for Development) play a game while waiting for the food |
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| Everyone gets in the fresh and beautiful water |
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| Amjed, Mubarak, Rashid, and Saifadin wield their Darfur daggers while Ahmed Abubaker snaps some selfies - we all ate a lot of freshly caught and fried fish from the Nile along with delicious locally grown watermelons |
Sunday morning some of the team asked why we didn't put in the work pictures this week (actually we forgot the camera in the truck), so adding some work pictures now. We had some visitors this week to see our advanced progress. Hassan Salah from the Rotary Club brought his engineer friend, and Malam Darfur boss Lukman visited his team along with his country directors Habib and Noon.
The team completed the first smooth coat of plaster this week and they have stepped up the pace a little in order to finish in time for an opening ceremony in two weeks.
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| Mathi and Jason (AECOM US) pose with Hassan Salah and his engineer friend inside the domes showing the rough plaster coat |
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| Hassan does some plastering on the window |
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| Mathi and Djo place a beam |
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| Mohammed Issa (Malam), Noon (Malam), Fatima (Mayo), Rihab (Mayo), Habib (Malam), Lukman (Malam), Lila (Mayo) |
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| Rashid, Fatima, and Rihab flank Lukman |
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| Sheikh Ahmed in costume |
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| Najlaa takes a final aerial look at the domes before leaving for Dubai |
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| The Welder, Djo and Rashid work on the 'escape window' |
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| Of Course we take a picture of the whole gang on the domes posing with the Malam bosses Lukman, Habib, and Noon |
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| Abdlrazeg takes a moment to admire his plastering job - he is finishing up his master's degree in economics and will return to his West Darfur village to help people rebuild |
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| Fatima takes a picture of her work - she will continue her business endeavors with the women of Dalu for Development |
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