User:GurtongTrust

Introduction
Gurtong Trust - Peace and Media Project is an independent, not-for-profit, community-based project, which aims at removing all ethnic, political or personal obstacles on the way to unity, peace and mutual respect among South Sudanese.

It was while in the UK that a South Sudanese Internet Technology (IT) expert, Napoleon Adok Gai, was inspired by South Sudanese in Europe to establish the Gurtong website. Funded by the Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs and surrogated by the London-based Africa Educational Trust, the project was established in London in 2002 as “Gurtong Peace Project.” On return to Kenya, Napoleon registered Gurtong as "Gurtong Peace Trust” in 2004 and set up an office in Nairobi, from where he managed the project until his departure at the end of 2005.

Headed since 2006 by a South Sudanese veteran journalist and author, Jacob Jiel Akol, Gurtong was registered in Juba, South Sudan, in 2007 as “Gurtong Peace and Media Project”, an NGO. In combining the names under which it is registered in both Kenya and South Sudan, the full name is now “Gurtong Trust – Peace and Media Project”, generally shortened to just “Gurtong”.

Radio Programmes: Funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA), Gurtong started in 2008 production of pilot radio programmes with 100% local content on mostly issues of peace, culture, health, education and gender. In 2009, the Open Society Institute joined the Norwegians in supporting Gurtong’s Radio Program production, by a grant awarded through the Open Society Network Media Program in 2009 - 2010, mostly on elections and related issues in the 2009 - 2010 period.

Summary of Objectives and Activities
Gurtong Trust - Peace and Media Project pursues the goal of reconciliation among South Sudanese by addressing issues which are dividing them.

Its aim is the creation of a coalition for the promotion of peace among South Sudanese abroad as well as in South Sudan itself.

Now that a comprehensive peace agreement between North and South Sudan has been signed and is well into its fourth of the six-year interim period, Gurtong has the opportunity to broaden its peace-building and information activities among South Sudanese at home and in the Diaspora. Experience in the last seven years of the project suggests that there are many ways one can support a people's hope for political stability and respect for each other and for their cultural identities. The project's programme is operating on three different levels:

1. It provides, through its website and radio programmes, a non-partisan information platform on, social, political, legal and administrative issues in South Sudan.

2. It also provides information on and promotes pride in the local cultures of the people of South Sudan.

3. In addition, the website offers to the South Sudanese around the world a moderated discussion board.

As peace has become a reality and use of the internet and radio broadcast become increasingly wide-spread in South Sudanese cities, towns and villages, Gurtong will already be in a position to intensify assisting, co-ordinating and net-working among local NGOs and civil society organisations in South Sudan.

It has intensified efforts to link the home-based civil society organisations with other South Sudanese community organisations in Europe, Canada, North America and Australia.

Gurtong already has a reputation among South Sudanese for being impartial and devoted to peace promotion and unity among Southerners. This reputation will be taken-advantage of to continue providing as accurately as possible timely information.

All its activities are aimed at encouraging the South Sudanese civil society organisations at home and in the Diaspora to make a positive contribution to peace and development in South Sudan itself.

Board Members
Gurtong Trust - Peace and Media Project has eight persons sitting on its board and who give advisory and informative contributions to the project.

The members of the board are:

1. Mr. Napoleon Adok Gai (Founder) 2. Dr. Charles Saki Bakhiet (Chairman) 3. Mr. Jacob Jiel Akol (Secretary to the Board) 4. Mr. Acuil Malith Banggol (Member) 5. Mrs. Angelina Teny (Member) 6. Dr. Conradin Perner (Kwacakworo) (Founder) 7. Mrs. Ann Kima Hoth (Member) 8. Mr. James Emmanuel Oryema (Member) 9. Dr. John Gai Nyuot Yoh (Member) 10. Dr. Peter Adwok Nyaba (Member)

Gurtong Projects
The Website: http://www.gurtong.net

This is the mother of all Gurtong’s projects. Founded as an information and monitored opinion/discussion website for South Sudanese in the Diaspora, it has to date the most comprehensive information about South Sudan and its close to 70 ethnic communities. This data has been growing steadily since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in 2005 and is most likely to increase, following the independence of South Sudan on July 9, 2011. While there is vast information on various topics, the website also provides reliable daily news from South Sudan’s ten states and posts constructive opinions from South Sudanese and friends world-wide. The website has also become the outlet for the other Gurtong media: Radio and Print (monthly magazine). It also has a You Tube TV channel that can be effectively utilized for information and increased income generation.

2. Radio Programmes:- South Sudan Safari:
Gurtong embarked on producing radio programmes with 100% local content over four years ago. Radio is the most appropriate medium for largely illiterate communities of South Sudan where illiteracy is estimated at well over 70% - no one really knows for sure. South Sudan Safari series has covered a wide range of topics, including information about various ethnic communities, information about national events such as elections, referendum and celebration of the independence of South Sudan. Programmes also include issues of health, gender, education and governance. Gurtong radio programmes, which are in English and now also in local Arabic, are broadcast by five radio stations. They are also available worldwide over the Internet (www.gurtong.net). We expect the number of radio stations broadcasting Gurtong programs to increase following expansion of stations in an independent South Sudan.

Print Media:- Gurtong Focus Magazine:
The monthly magazine is the Gurtong’s third venture to reach a wider audience of South Sudanese and friends at home and abroad. The November 2013 issue is the No.35 in the series. With the little money generated from website advertisements since November 2009, Gurtong was able to produce a pilot issue of Gurtong Focus in February and the First Issue in April 2010. No.2 was sponsored by the Norwegian Church Aid (NCA), while 12 issues i.e No 3-6 and Issues No 20 to 32 have been  sponsored by National Endowment for Democracy. The rest of the issues have been partially funded by income from advertisement and by staff volunteering their free time.

Audio-Visual: ‘Pilot Digital Video Production & Display’:
This is the newest venture of reaching wider audiences. We began by producing documentaries on the Jonglei Peace Process. Jonglei is one of the volatile States of South Sudan with one of the worst cases of violence being seen in early 2012 when the Murle and Dinka communities were fighting and attacking each other. All players (traditional authorities – chiefs, the church, the youth, the women and the private organisations have taken steps to ensure that peaceful co-existence in these communities is achieved and sustained.

We have recorded discussions and interviews with the chiefs communicating to their subjects within their communities and in their local languages advocating for peaceful co-existence. These produced videos are then presented on a mobile screen to the same communities in their localities and then their reactions recorded. Some of these views, if judged to have wider national implications/importance, are overlaid in English or local Arabic.