AGRICULTURE
The Nuba Mountains region is rich with good soils and abundant rainfalls, and that makes the inhabitants an agrarian society since the ancient civilization of the Nile Valley. Agricultural production is the cornerstone to the region’s economy, but it has been affected in recent years due to the conflict that inundated the entire region. The people in rural areas grow a variety of indigenous food crops such as sorghum, millet, maize or corn, beans, cow-pea, peanuts, hibiscus, and sesame for consumption and commercial.
Cotton is mainly grown as a commercial commodity. We want to shift the old fashioned agricultural practices to modern practices by providing the farmers with basic farm inputs: seeds, fertilizers, tools and equipment to increase the efficiency and production. Our primary goal is to support the community in creating a sustainable agricultural sector, so that they secure their own food. We want people to be self-sufficient in providing for their own food needs and not risking their lives by surrendering to the government's controlled areas, towns and cities searching for food. We witness innocent civilians being persecuted by the intelligent forces when they flee their homes into the government areas looking for food. Our agriculture program is primarily designed to motivate farmers to extend their farmlands and to cultivate as large-fields as they can in order to yield good production so that they may be able to sell the surplus and buy livestock or open shops and supermarkets in their community.
HEALTH
Most people in the Nuba Mountains have been using traditional remedies for the treatment of various diseases for long time because of the government’s negligence. The health care system in Sudan has never been the top priority in the government’s programs, particularly in the peripheral states where indigenous people reside. In the capital Khartoum and other major cites, health insurances and healthcare services are limited to the government employees and their families only because the major providers of services are owned by the government. Therefore, less than 10% of the ordinary citizens in the cities can afford to pay for their healthcare coverage.
As for civilians in the Nuba Mountains, there are no health services offered by the government of Sudan; except for the small support programs from Samaritan’s Purse and the Catholic Church. One of our major programs is a health program. We plan to provide healthcare services and sanitation programs to promote the well being of the vulnerable civilians; particularly, elderly people, women, and children. Pregnant women and children in the Nuba Mountains have not had access to any vaccination since the recent war began on June 6, 2011. Sine then, the region has been deprived of the government’s services including health programs and the people have turned from drug to traditional remedies. Surprisingly, all main stream political parties in Khartoum always take government’s side when it comes to issues of marginalized regions. They all have something in common, which is disenfranchising the indigenous.
EDUCATION
The system of centralization government that was installed in the Sudan since its independence in 1956 was aimed to marginalize the indigenous populations especially the Nubans. Therefore, we cannot blame only the current government for denying education to the people of Nuba Mountains, but also all the consecutive governments that have governed the country since its establishment.
In Nuba Mountains regions, the government builds only Primary or Elementary schools and students who graduate from this level are on their own to find higher education. Due to the poor education system, we fight illiteracy and promote education by constructing schools, providing school supplies and granting scholarships for students who do not have the opportunity to access quality education. Although this development is moving slowly, we’re optimistic that it will improve in the future because we see the changes taking place in the region. We actively encourage the local populations to invest in education programs that we offer by engaging them in the community development program. This program gives them ideas for how to address the overall education issues; especially girls education for instance. Girls are more likely to drop out of schools than boys. Therefore, the community has to identify and solve the problems that lead to girls dropping out of schools. Investing in girls’ education is one of the challenges that our community hasn’t been able to address extensively up to this point.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Our community development programs are designed to a strong and resilient community through numerous activities. In the Nuba society, community comes together and works collectively towards finding solutions to the problems that affect them. Kulu organizes meetings and conferences with local community or community leaders to discuss, identify and address social and economic challenges and provides opportunities to those who are in need. Kulu provides little cash assistant to the disables and elderly people once a year and sometimes pays medical bills for ill people. It also funds annual community conferences and cultural events.
Kulu also engages in youth development through promotion of social and physical activities such as dancing and sports (wrestling and football). There are twenty sex football teams in West Kadugli County, according to the report from football association. Kulu funded the 2022 county tournament, which ended in the first week of April. Young people in the Nuba Mountains are among the most traumatized population due to the war. Two out of five young people are orphans or separated from their families; as a result, they are likely to be traumatized and that is why we offer these activities to keep them occupied. These programs promote positive outcomes by providing opportunities, fostering positive relationships and giving the support that is needed to develop their assets and secure their own future.