Background: As part of the Peacebuilding Practitioners Interview Series, Jason Klocek interviewed Isaac Moro, who joined RECONCILE International in 2008 and currently serves as the head librarian in the newly constructed library and resource center at the RECONCILE offices in Yei, Sudan. In this interview, Moro speaks about his personal story and shares his hopes and vision for his work with RECONCILE International. He also highlights challenges posed by corruption, tribalism, and lack of education.
Mr. Moro, can you first speak about your background and how these experiences have brought you to your current work?
I was born in 1986 in Morobo county, which is located about 30 miles from Yei and very close to the border with Uganda. I belong to the Keliko tribe. During my childhood, there was the war in the south, and this brought many problems. By 1995, things were getting worse, so my father, the only person at that time that had gone to school, decided to take our family to Uganda. We fled to the Arua district of Uganda and lived in a refugee camp. There I completed my primary and secondary school. I was able to pay for such schooling because there were charitable trusts that helped us to pay for school. However, when I completed my fourth year of secondary school, I was no longer eligible for such money. I have still been unable to complete my schooling because I cannot pay the fees, but I would like to very much.
We stayed in Uganda until 2007, when we heard that things were peaceful enough to come back to Yei. So, we returned because we love our homeland, our country. But the return was difficult. Many people who had stayed behind hated those that had fled. They said that we had hid and kept ourselves safe, even gone to school, while they had suffered. This made it very hard to get a job when we returned, since many people were not happy with us.
How did you come to work at RECONCILE International?
In February 2008 I came to RECONCILE and talked to one of the security guards about getting a job here. He asked me what I was looking for, and I told him that honestly anything would be good. I wanted to work; I wanted to keep busy. And, I told him that I had gone to school but could not find a job. So I was given the job of helping to clean the compound—the outside grounds. Then after awhile I worked also as a security guard at the compound gate. I always knew, though, that if I could go back to school it would be better. But there was not enough money to do that.
In February 2009, two things happened at RECONCILE. The first was that construction for the new library was completed. The second was that the new program called RECONCILE Peace Institute (RPI) started. During this training, I talked to my boss and asked if I could attend on my off-time the computer classes being offered. He gave his approval so after working my normal hours from 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m., I would go to the computer class from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. When I first went I was nervous because I thought the people would know a lot more than me about computers, but this was not the case. We were all learning together.
At the same time as RPI, the job for librarian was advertised in our community, and especially in the local church. I was encouraged to apply for the job from some of the people at RECONCILE, especially since I now had some computer skills. After the interviews, I was lucky to be chosen and I began work as the librarian on March 9.
When this happened, I said "Praise be to God!" I had still not finished all my schooling, but here I was with a new job. Maybe this was the first step to other things. I was very honest with my boss and asked him to correct me when I didn’t do things properly, which he did, but through this way I have learned a lot. I also promised to work very hard.
How is the library being used now?
We still do not have very many books, so we are in the process of looking for ways to receive more. Those that we do have I am now cataloging and also organizing according to themes, like healing and trauma or peace and reconciliation. People even now are able to check them out for up to three days.
We also have four laptops at the library with Internet access and typing programs, so people are able to come and learn how to use the Internet and also improve their typing skills by using the program.
How did you obtain the current books?
They have been donated from churches in the United States and other places. Individual people who know of our work also sometimes send books, like this one here that we just received today is from a woman in the United States.
How do you see RECONCILE and this library helping with reconciliation in Yei?
RECONCILE really helps a lot in our communities. People right now don’t have a strong sense of being together. Many people only look out for themselves. RECONCILE helps people to stop thinking of only themselves; it helps them to change from doing things that harm their lives. This is done through our programs, like those on peace studies and trauma healing. These programs help to build a sense of togetherness. They also help to educate people to be good leaders.
As for the library, it has already helped me a lot. I came not knowing how to type at all, but now I am much better at it. And, it is not only me. Many people are learning how to use the computer, the Internet, and how to type.
What are some of the biggest challenges people face in Yei?
Our biggest problem is corruption. In order to get a job you really need to know someone or have some relative that can help you to get a job. You know, many students who have graduated cannot get a job, even though they are qualified. It’s very hard to get jobs here in Yei.
Tribalism is also a reason for this. Many people still think that their tribe is the best, that their tribe is better than anyone else’s tribe. So when they need to hire someone, they usually hire someone from their own tribe.
The lack of education is also a major problem. It is a big problem when you have to work with people who have not completed school, especially in the government. Many of our government officials did not go to school. And, even now when young men come back from places like Uganda having finished their education, the older government officials resent them; they don’t listen to these younger people. But education is very important, and we need to continue to send young people to school.
Finally, what else is needed? What is your hope for the future?
Hope is very important—hope for the people. For example, I want to complete my studies, but money is a major problem. But I think that if I work now for a bit this may open the way to go back to school. Still, it is not entirely up to me. Everything on earth is God’s work. You know, I never thought I would be doing this work in the library, but through God’s love I am here. And, I can even help my community through this work. In the end, it is not that one can set a clear plan because everything is in God’s hands. We must trust in God.
Mr. Moro, thank you very much for your time today.
I was born in 1986 in Morobo county, which is located about 30 miles from Yei and very close to the border with Uganda. I belong to the Keliko tribe. During my childhood, there was the war in the south, and this brought many problems. By 1995, things were getting worse, so my father, the only person at that time that had gone to school, decided to take our family to Uganda. We fled to the Arua district of Uganda and lived in a refugee camp. There I completed my primary and secondary school. I was able to pay for such schooling because there were charitable trusts that helped us to pay for school. However, when I completed my fourth year of secondary school, I was no longer eligible for such money. I have still been unable to complete my schooling because I cannot pay the fees, but I would like to very much.
We stayed in Uganda until 2007, when we heard that things were peaceful enough to come back to Yei. So, we returned because we love our homeland, our country. But the return was difficult. Many people who had stayed behind hated those that had fled. They said that we had hid and kept ourselves safe, even gone to school, while they had suffered. This made it very hard to get a job when we returned, since many people were not happy with us.
How did you come to work at RECONCILE International?
In February 2008 I came to RECONCILE and talked to one of the security guards about getting a job here. He asked me what I was looking for, and I told him that honestly anything would be good. I wanted to work; I wanted to keep busy. And, I told him that I had gone to school but could not find a job. So I was given the job of helping to clean the compound—the outside grounds. Then after awhile I worked also as a security guard at the compound gate. I always knew, though, that if I could go back to school it would be better. But there was not enough money to do that.
In February 2009, two things happened at RECONCILE. The first was that construction for the new library was completed. The second was that the new program called RECONCILE Peace Institute (RPI) started. During this training, I talked to my boss and asked if I could attend on my off-time the computer classes being offered. He gave his approval so after working my normal hours from 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m., I would go to the computer class from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. When I first went I was nervous because I thought the people would know a lot more than me about computers, but this was not the case. We were all learning together.
At the same time as RPI, the job for librarian was advertised in our community, and especially in the local church. I was encouraged to apply for the job from some of the people at RECONCILE, especially since I now had some computer skills. After the interviews, I was lucky to be chosen and I began work as the librarian on March 9.
When this happened, I said "Praise be to God!" I had still not finished all my schooling, but here I was with a new job. Maybe this was the first step to other things. I was very honest with my boss and asked him to correct me when I didn’t do things properly, which he did, but through this way I have learned a lot. I also promised to work very hard.
How is the library being used now?
We still do not have very many books, so we are in the process of looking for ways to receive more. Those that we do have I am now cataloging and also organizing according to themes, like healing and trauma or peace and reconciliation. People even now are able to check them out for up to three days.
We also have four laptops at the library with Internet access and typing programs, so people are able to come and learn how to use the Internet and also improve their typing skills by using the program.
How did you obtain the current books?
They have been donated from churches in the United States and other places. Individual people who know of our work also sometimes send books, like this one here that we just received today is from a woman in the United States.
How do you see RECONCILE and this library helping with reconciliation in Yei?
RECONCILE really helps a lot in our communities. People right now don’t have a strong sense of being together. Many people only look out for themselves. RECONCILE helps people to stop thinking of only themselves; it helps them to change from doing things that harm their lives. This is done through our programs, like those on peace studies and trauma healing. These programs help to build a sense of togetherness. They also help to educate people to be good leaders.
As for the library, it has already helped me a lot. I came not knowing how to type at all, but now I am much better at it. And, it is not only me. Many people are learning how to use the computer, the Internet, and how to type.
What are some of the biggest challenges people face in Yei?
Our biggest problem is corruption. In order to get a job you really need to know someone or have some relative that can help you to get a job. You know, many students who have graduated cannot get a job, even though they are qualified. It’s very hard to get jobs here in Yei.
Tribalism is also a reason for this. Many people still think that their tribe is the best, that their tribe is better than anyone else’s tribe. So when they need to hire someone, they usually hire someone from their own tribe.
The lack of education is also a major problem. It is a big problem when you have to work with people who have not completed school, especially in the government. Many of our government officials did not go to school. And, even now when young men come back from places like Uganda having finished their education, the older government officials resent them; they don’t listen to these younger people. But education is very important, and we need to continue to send young people to school.
Finally, what else is needed? What is your hope for the future?
Hope is very important—hope for the people. For example, I want to complete my studies, but money is a major problem. But I think that if I work now for a bit this may open the way to go back to school. Still, it is not entirely up to me. Everything on earth is God’s work. You know, I never thought I would be doing this work in the library, but through God’s love I am here. And, I can even help my community through this work. In the end, it is not that one can set a clear plan because everything is in God’s hands. We must trust in God.
Mr. Moro, thank you very much for your time today.
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