"Our friendship can never be broken"

Gender, refugee life, and education were some of the themes in the summer camp held in August in Denmark with participants from New Sudan Students’ Association and Operation Day’s Work. The camp also left time for fun and building strong friendships. One of the Danish organisers looks back

By Camilla Ankerstjerne, OD

It has only been a few days since I said goodbye to you. Afterwards I was thinking: What will I do now? All my friends from Yei have gone home. I am no longer responsible for organising a big summer camp in Denmark. I have no more plans and dates. I think you people left me with a big empty hole in my stomach. Juma from Yei in South Sudan says that he feels heavy, when he is happy and proud. I see now what you mean Juma, but I feel empty these days – not heavy!

The two weeks you spent in Denmark were so full of activity, discussions and most of all craziness and fun, that I shall never forget it in my life.

The workshops were filled with an enthusiasm and team spirit, that I would never have imagined possible. I think not only you learned a lot during your stay in Denmark. Therefore I also have to thank you.

I participated in the gender workshop visiting different families in Denmark. We did not only have big discussions on the gender situation in Denmark and South Sudan. We also spent a lot of time becoming the best friends in the world.

The first day we visited my friend Kaja, who is a single mum. After that, Juma was convinced that he should become a single father. Many people in the group were surprised to hear that Kaja’s sister was married to another woman, and she managed to have a child by acquiring sperm in a ‘sperm-bank’.

We also visited Peter and Kirsten, two elderly, retired persons living by themselves. Here we discussed issues concerning the gender roles in Denmark and how much they have changed during the last 30 years.

After the visit I spoke to Kirsten. She was very impressed by the Sudanese and how they would talk about their struggle to get an education in South Sudan.

Gladdys, one of the Sudanese participants, wrote about girl child education:

"Women are neglected as if we don’t know anything! Is it because we are dull, no. Does it mean we do not know how to write, no. It is because women are created differently, no. It’s only because parents do not want to pay for us to go to school (...) Women are overworked in various places in New Sudan. Oh man, why are you overworking us as if we are slaves?"

Later, we did plays about the topic. Three Danish students had to act as a Sudanese family, and the Sudanese acted as a Danish family. This drama exercise was very fruitful. Now we had to show what we had learned with our own bodies. For example in the play about the Danish family the old and sick grandparents called their children on the phone. Their answer to them was: "We are to busy! Maybe we will come to visit you next week."

I hope in the future we shall meet again – but next time in the New Sudan. 16 Danish students participating in the summer camp are now looking forward to seeing New Sudan for the first time in their life. Our friendship can never be broken.