Dear All,
I would like first to thank CSAW President Michael Ritter, Sister Luise Radlmeier, the conference speakers and Mama Rosa Loki Ayon for your endless support in making this conference a success. Also, great appreciation goes to the CSAW girls, Marino Mauro, Leslie Pacheco, John Omunu, Radine Dempsey, Polly Dana, William Lochi, David Alexander and Bob Michelson with Platypus Productions, the Transportation Committee, the Organizing Committee and all the wonderful volunteers for their efforts and hard work in organizing the first ever CSAW outreach community conference. The conference is not only relevant to our work in Boulder, but indeed is much needed at this time in our Sudanese community across North America.
Secondly, I wish to reiterate my deep appreciation to Phil Day, University of Colorado at Boulder, Dean of Continuing Education Professor Anne Heinz, and other donors for their invaluable support in realizing and ensuring the success of this remarkable conference.
I must say that I am most impressed by the active participation of such a significant number of Sudanese. Throughout the conference, you participated with a strong sense of commitment, dedication and with your insights on the topics presented at the conference. The process of achieving consensus among the participants on the objectives and strategies for promoting and strengthening our future and collaboration is indeed laudable. I am convinced that pursuing this process will only further promote and facilitate a common understanding among us, and strengthen our confidence: which is crucial in establishing and sustaining our collective efforts. We must believe in ourselves, and our common vision. Finally, I am sure that I speak on your behalf when I say we appreciate the significance and the success of this first ever CSAW outreach community conference.
Our work does not end here. On the contrary, we have just embarked on a new and exciting journey that we might want to continue to organize every year if resources permit. This conference was just the first of many such steps along our journey. The challenge that lies ahead demands even more from each one of us; it requires our firm commitment. On behalf of CSAW, I wish to congratulate all of you for your great support to our call.
Conference organizing Committee shall endeavor to provide you with the conference report and necessary support to ensure the success and sustainability of this important collaborative effort. I hope you all enjoyed your stay in Boulder and had a safe journey home. May you all experience every success in your future endeavors.
Thank you,
Micklina P. Kenyi
CSAW-Executive Director
P.O. Box 2317 Boulder, Co 80307
www.csawcolorado.org
csawhelpline@yahoo.com
Micklina@csawcolorado.org
720-447-4032
Friday, June 11, 2010
Press Releasse
CONTACTS:
Micklina Kenyi
CSAW Founder/Director
Phone: (720) 447-4032
Email: micklina@csawcolorado.org
Leslie Pacheco
CSAW Intern
Phone: (760)673-9315
Email:lesliepacheco@gmail.com
FOR RELEASE FRIDAY MAY 28, 2010
LOST NO MORE: THE LOST BOYS AND GIRLS OF SUDAN FIND ONE ANOTHER
Sudanese Refugees Reunite with Loved Ones in Boulder
Boulder, CO May 28, 2010, Voices speaking Didinga, Swahili, Arabic and English fill the air and the atmosphere is charged with excitement as Sudanese refugees gather in Boulder for the first ever Sudanese Community Outreach Conference. Sudanese refugees have come from across the United States and Canada with the hope of reuniting with family from whom they have been separated for over two decades.
The three-day conference was organized by the Community of Sudanese and American Women (CSAW) located here in Boulder. CSAW founder and director, Micklina Peter Kenyi, herself a refugee from Sudan, expressed her excitement for the conference and the chance to reunite with long lost relatives, “For us to all be together is a big deal.” According to Kenyi it has been over 20 years since many of the refugees have seen family members.
Almost as exciting as being reuniting with family is the chance to reunite with the keynote speaker of the conference Sister Luise Radlmeier, who played a key role in resettling the majority of the 160 conference participants in North America.
Violent conflict forced these individuals to flee Sudan and settle into refugee camps in Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya. The squalid conditions of the refugee camp attracted the attention of Radlmeier who took refugee children into her orphanage and ensured their education. Many of these children were resettled into North American and became known in the media as the Lost Boys and Girls of Sudan.
Radlmeier expressed her joy in reuniting with the children, now adults, from her orphanage and meeting the new generation. “I am eager to hear the successes” stated Radlmeier, who was encouraged by how well her “children” are doing in the countries of resettlement.
This conference is the first of its kind to be held in Boulder. The theme of this year’s conference is “We Are the Engines of Change in Sudan.” The conference provides an opportunity for Sudanese refugees resettled in North America to identify existing problems in their community, raise levels of awareness and provide viable solutions to address challenges affecting them directly and indirectly in their new country of resettlement.
CSAW is a Boulder, Colorado based non-denominational, non-profit organization dedicated to empowering Sudanese refugee women through education. The organization assists with educational, housing, and job opportunities, as well as health-care services to help with the hurdles of acculturation in order to foster self sufficiency.
###
If you would like more information about the event or to schedule an interview please contact
Micklina Kenyi at (720) 447-4032 or by email at micklina@csawcolorado.org
Micklina Kenyi
CSAW Founder/Director
Phone: (720) 447-4032
Email: micklina@csawcolorado.org
Leslie Pacheco
CSAW Intern
Phone: (760)673-9315
Email:lesliepacheco@gmail.com
FOR RELEASE FRIDAY MAY 28, 2010
LOST NO MORE: THE LOST BOYS AND GIRLS OF SUDAN FIND ONE ANOTHER
Sudanese Refugees Reunite with Loved Ones in Boulder
Boulder, CO May 28, 2010, Voices speaking Didinga, Swahili, Arabic and English fill the air and the atmosphere is charged with excitement as Sudanese refugees gather in Boulder for the first ever Sudanese Community Outreach Conference. Sudanese refugees have come from across the United States and Canada with the hope of reuniting with family from whom they have been separated for over two decades.
The three-day conference was organized by the Community of Sudanese and American Women (CSAW) located here in Boulder. CSAW founder and director, Micklina Peter Kenyi, herself a refugee from Sudan, expressed her excitement for the conference and the chance to reunite with long lost relatives, “For us to all be together is a big deal.” According to Kenyi it has been over 20 years since many of the refugees have seen family members.
Almost as exciting as being reuniting with family is the chance to reunite with the keynote speaker of the conference Sister Luise Radlmeier, who played a key role in resettling the majority of the 160 conference participants in North America.
Violent conflict forced these individuals to flee Sudan and settle into refugee camps in Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya. The squalid conditions of the refugee camp attracted the attention of Radlmeier who took refugee children into her orphanage and ensured their education. Many of these children were resettled into North American and became known in the media as the Lost Boys and Girls of Sudan.
Radlmeier expressed her joy in reuniting with the children, now adults, from her orphanage and meeting the new generation. “I am eager to hear the successes” stated Radlmeier, who was encouraged by how well her “children” are doing in the countries of resettlement.
This conference is the first of its kind to be held in Boulder. The theme of this year’s conference is “We Are the Engines of Change in Sudan.” The conference provides an opportunity for Sudanese refugees resettled in North America to identify existing problems in their community, raise levels of awareness and provide viable solutions to address challenges affecting them directly and indirectly in their new country of resettlement.
CSAW is a Boulder, Colorado based non-denominational, non-profit organization dedicated to empowering Sudanese refugee women through education. The organization assists with educational, housing, and job opportunities, as well as health-care services to help with the hurdles of acculturation in order to foster self sufficiency.
###
If you would like more information about the event or to schedule an interview please contact
Micklina Kenyi at (720) 447-4032 or by email at micklina@csawcolorado.org
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