Olabukunola Williams's blog

Ongoing violence in Sudan’s western Darfur region has driven more than 271,000 civilians to flee their homes and temporarily resettle in refugee camps across the border in eastern Chad. Today, after 10 years of conflict, these refugees depend on international support for basic needs such as food and water, but, just as importantly, they also depend on this support for education.  Read More »

The conflict in Darfur began 10 years ago. To commemorate the anniversary—remember the lives lost, acknowledge the ongoing struggle of the displaced, and recognize the ongoing effort to establish justice and find peace—Enough and its partners will mark 10 days of activism.  Read More »

During my recent three-week trip to eastern Chad to visit the Darfuri refugee camps Djabal and Goz Amer, I had lots of conversations. The meetings under trees, in classrooms, and community centers throughout the camps made me realize how much I took education and what it means for granted. We understand the need and importance of education, yet we underestimate its power and potential to radically improve the human existence.  Read More »

As I begin my journey to visit the schools in the Darfuri refugee camps Djabal and Goz Amer, what I am looking forward to most is reconnecting with old friends, making news ones, playing games with the school children, and sharing in their infectious laughter. During the trip I will be documenting the impact of the Darfur Dream Team’s support for education in the refugee camps in eastern Chad.  Read More »

Worldwide, 61 million children are not in school, and over 40 percent of those children live in poor, conflict-affected countries, according to new research slated for release in a new report by UNESCO on October 16. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is therefore using the power of his office and the United Nations to make education for all children and youth a priority.  Read More »

Did you know that most Americans don’t know what it means to be a refugee or that there are more than 10 million refugees worldwide? We at the Darfur Dream Team Sister Schools Program want to change that, and you can help. DDT launched the Summer Service Challenge last year to get students, teachers, and community members in the United States learning and teaching others about lives of refugees in their communities and around the world.  Read More »

Last year, I met amazing students in Goz Amer refugee camp in eastern Chad, and we’ve now created profiles for seven of them so that we can continue sharing their stories.

Alfadel, Alhaphis, Ali, Arafa, Hafsa, Sadia, and Salwa represent the more than 6,000 students enrolled in Goz Amer’s six primary schools.  Read More »

Two days ago, Darfur Dream Team Program Assistant Meghan Higginbotham began her journey to eastern Chad to visit Djabal and Goz Amer refugee camps for the first time. Before she left, we recorded a video of Meghan sharing about her connection to the Darfuri refugees living in eastern Chad through the Darfur Dream Team Sister Schools Program and the plans for her trip this Thanksgiving.  Read More »

After hosting its Fifth Annual Evening for Darfur on October 24, Palm Beach Central High School became the highest individual fundraising school in the Darfur Dream Team, or DDT, Sister Schools Program. The event, where Enough Project Co-Founder John Prendergast and I spoke, raised $15,000 for Palm Beach Central’s Darfuri sister school, Aboutalib B, in Goz Amer refugee camp.  Read More »

Plans are in the works to build libraries in Darfuri refugee camps, thanks to an initiative by the Book Wish Foundation. All the proceeds from a new book, What You Wish For, will support the work of the U.N. refugee agency to build libraries in the camps in eastern Chad.  Read More »