The beginning of a branch

by Philipp Rodriguez (Nov 16, 2006)

Today I came along to files from SCI contacts in Sudan in the early 90s. While I was ordering the documents by date, a paper titled with SCI Africa Constitution got my attention. Usually there are documents about volunteer exchange and projects in files from African countries. But this file is about the beginning of an SCI group. Actually it was not a successful attempt.

Today I came along to files from SCI contacts in Sudan in the early 90s. While I was ordering the documents by date, a paper titled with SCI Africa Constitution got my attention. Usually there are documents about volunteer exchange and projects in files from African countries. But this file is about the beginning of an SCI group. Actually it was not a successful attempt.

Sudan suffered for decades from conflicts, so it has been also in the early 90s. A that time a group of Sudanese refugees in Nairobi (Kenya) got inspired about SCI by an European SCI activist, which was living then there. They decided to become part of SCI. Of course SCI people told them, that a period of two years period is necessary in order to become member of SCI and to use its name. Few time later they registered officially an organisation called Sudan Service International. As first activity a project proposalfor a famine relief programme in the Democratic Republic of Sudan was presented. It was planned, that a SCI Africa Regional office shall be established and a staff team of 5 persons (inclusive receptionist) should be employed. SCI was kindly asked to help in fund-raising.

The reality of SCI is of course different and SCI people answered like Ralph Hegnauer, who wrote in a letter: "Have they understood the limited size and potentialities of SCI and its very restricted means". However SSI was supported by the Dutch and the Swiss branch with some money in order to set up an office in Kenya. As first success SSI was acknowledged by UN and they started their relief project in some villages in South Sudan.

A visit of several SCI volunteers in Nariobi in 1994, clarified then the expectation of SSI towards SCI: The point was, that SSI was is focusing on permanent relief work and "not aiming to send volunteers to projects of other organisations, and is therefore not an exchange organisations as SCI." With this last document in SCI archives (at the moment) and the story of a new SCI group ends here.

Well it could be discussed, what went wrong. Probably it would be about misunderstanding, not defined policy or unclear decision making procedure. However an interesting fact is, that people from SSI were inspired just by a single active member of SCI. And with the network of SCI and an initially financial support a new NGO of engaged volunteers has started.