Wadi Saleh al Khairia, a civil society organization of the Darfur diaspora in the capital of South Sudan, celebrated an initiative for its youth last Thursday.

Adam Adam Abdalnur, the founder and chairman of the organization, explained that part of their vision is to raise awareness especially in the Darfur community about their own culture, customs and traditions, hospitality and how they used to serve the community in the past.

The event in Gudele last Thursday honoured the organization’s first group of 25 trainees, whom it had trained in the fields of general administration, projects management, and management of voluntary organizations.

Organizers described the training as the first significant achievement of the organization. Apparently the 45-day training was carried out last September, but a graduation ceremony was delayed until last week. Twenty-one of the graduates attended, including three women.

In an interview, Abdalnur described challenges faced by the organization currently including the process of registration with the government of South Sudan and raising awareness among students and members of the Darfur community.

Ayoub Saddiq Adam, one of the graduates and the secretary-general of the organization, remarked on the occasion: "I'm really happy beyond expression because I have learnt many things in the training which I did not in the school."

Among those who attended the function was the head of the Civil Society Alliance in South Sudan, Deng Athuai, who said he was duty-bound to follow-up and share with people when they are happy or grieved.

He said, "When South Sudan separated it was due to lack of national will but the people’s will is that we are one people and we love each other. So we share in times of pain and in times of happiness.”

Wadi Saleh al Khairia was founded in December 2012 in Juba with the objectives of delivering services in the humanitarian, social and cultural fields.

Photo: A banner of the Wadi Saleh organization in Juba, 27 February 2014 (Radio Tamazuj)