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Young Saharawi minds are hungry for education and creativity

10/5/2017

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Beccy Allen, Stave House in the Sahara's volunteer English teacher, shares with us some thoughts about her experience teaching young Saharawi children so far... (versión en español más abajo)

"So, after the first three weeks of English teaching as part of Stave House in the Sahara, I can safely say that I am excited about the children's learning. These young people have opened my eyes wider than ever to how hungry young minds can be for education and creativity. They love the games we play and are eager to answer and are getting better and better at listening to one another. They are making leaps in what they can remember and say and are becoming thoughtful in the way they support others who maybe struggle with something we working on at any given time. 

​Working with them on English every day is brilliant as you can see the progress made in a week. After the long summer break they were at first struggling to recall a lot of what they had learned last year. After three weeks of immersion for an hour at a time, working with a teacher who can only help them learn through the target language itself alongside gesture, we have developed our own ways of communicating and understanding one another and everything from last year is coming flooding back to them. They are becoming fearless in taking on board new vocabulary rather than looking to someone to translate the words for them.

Our classes switch between moments of calm and moments of playful energy. The children are inquisitive and bold and don't shy away from answering even when they are unsure. We focus on listening to my voice and all the strange and wonderful new sounds of the English words they are learning. They repeat over and over but also learn to question each other, learning to talk about themselves and others. We listen to English music and look at photos of England, many aspects of which are totally alien to them. We laugh at the way I pronounce their names but that helps them know that I am learning just as they are.

Bring on the next couple of months!"
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Morocco continues to appropriate Saharawi culture to dilute it in occupation. Translation into Hassanya of The Little Prince by Moroccan initiative

6/2/2017

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Original article in Spanish by Poemario por un Sahara Libre.
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Morocco continues to appropriate Saharawi cultural symbols and elements in order to dilute Western Sahara into Morocco. The use of the Saharawi dress (melhfa and darraa) by Moroccan settlers is one of the many ways in which certain Saharawi cultural references are assumed as their own. This is how they are trying to assimilate as Moroccan many Saharawi characters and tales, such as in the case of the Shertat tales. They also try to seize historical Saharawi characters and, now, even the Hassanya language. It is a very dangerous work of cultural sabotage carried out by the Moroccan authorities, and that tries to distort the conflict by exercising a work of "cultural genocide".

"The Little Prince" translated into the Arabic dialect Hassaniya dialect of Western Sahara

EFE, 31st MAY, 2017

The famous work of Antoine de Saint-Exupery "The Little Prince" has been translated into the Arabic dialect Hassaniya, spoken in Western Sahara and Mauritania.

This is a Moroccan initiative, jointly carried out by the National Human Rights Council (CNDH), the Saint-Exupery Foundation and the Fosbucra Foundation, which promotes development projects in the part of the Sahara administered by Morocco, according to the CNDH today a statement.

The famous Saint-Exupery, one of the most translated books in the world (with 300 versions) will be distributed next week free of charge in Moroccan schools in all the Saharawi regions where Hassanya is spoken, including the Tarfaya region, outside the country of Western Sahara.

In fact, the distribution has been announced to coincide with the 90th anniversary of the voyage that Saint-Exupery made to Tarfaya (then called Cape Juby), where he resided for a few months as a delegate of the airline Aéropostale.

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Original article in Spanish by Poemario por un Sahara Libre.
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Western Sahara seminar in Pretoria addresses crucial issues on the future of Africa's last colony

5/19/2017

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"Inspiration2Dance" school dedicates Benefit Summer Ball to Sandblast

5/19/2017

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We are so thrilled to announce that London's exclusive dance studio Inspiration 2 Dance has just announced that they'll be dedicating their upcoming fundraiser SUMMER SIZZLE Dance & BBQ Party 2017 next June 24 in London to Sandblast. THANK YOU!!

Our connection with Inspiration 2 Dance comes from our Founding Director Danielle Smith, who's really passionate about dancing and has had a close relationship with the school since late 2015.


Sandblast has decided to pledge all funds raised through the SUMMER SIZZLE Dance to the music and English education project Stave House in the Sahara, which has just finished their very successful second stage with over 25 children passing their certified Stave House Level 1 Music Awards. Congratulations! During its third stage (Sep 2017-May 2018), Sandblast will be the main sponsor of the project, so we need all the help we can get to make it a reality! For that, we've just set up a new JustGiving fundraising campaign. Check it out!
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Stave House in the Sahara finishes its second stage

5/12/2017

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Our partner project Stave House in the Sahara has just finished its second stage with a fabulous End Of Year Party in which the children have performed a few songs and had some sweet treats to celebrate a very successful year. Over 25 students have recently passed their Stave House Level 1 Music Awards, which will be fully certified by the London College of Music (University of West London) through Stave House. Congratulations!! How exciting!

Sandblast is now in conversation with Stave House in the Sahara to provide sponsorship for their third stage, which will begin in September 2017. Stay tuned for updates!
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Bottled sand builds better homes for Sahrawi refugees

2/7/2017

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In the remote desert of southwest Algeria, a young Sahrawi refugee is filling discarded bottles with sand to build shelters that better withstand the harsh climate.

Original text by Russell Fraser published on UNHCR website on January 11
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​TINDOUF, Algeria – With a master’s degree in energy efficiency, Sahrawi refugee Tateh Lehbib Breica had originally planned to build an energy efficient home in the desert, using discarded bottles for a roof garden.

But as the roof’s circular form presented construction challenges, the 27-year-old found himself left with numerous bottles which were no longer good for their intended purpose – growing plant seedlings.
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“I asked myself ‘What can I do with these?’” says Breica, who was born and raised in Awserd refugee camp, attended university in Algiers under a DAFI scholarship, and later studied for his master’s at a Spanish university.

WATCH VIDEO ABOUT PROJECT HERE

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New trial against Saharawi political prisoners of #GdeimIzik

1/24/2017

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Original text in Spanish published by Poemario por un Sahara Libre yesterday 23rd January.

UPDATE: Please note that the trial has been postponed again until early March.
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Summary: EIC Poemario for a Free Sahara on information and photos and Saharawi activists of human rights, January 23, 2017

According to the last hour reported by Sahrawi human rights activists, the trial of prisoners of #GdeimIzik has been postponed for tomorrow January 24 at 10 am. The judicial record of the prisoner Mohamed Layoubi has been separated from the rest of the group and his trial has been scheduled for March 13, 2017. (Layoubi Mohamed has been admitted to a hospital of AGADIR and because of that disease has been released on parole, even though he was sentenced by the military court to 20 years in prison.)

Numerous Sahrawis gathered this morning in front of the court awaiting trial against the prisoners of Gdeim Izik in Salé, Morocco, with banners in Arabic and Spanish supporting the prisoners and condemning their unjust detention. According to eldiario.es the Spanish lawyers Travieso, Sebastián, Adolfo and Serrano have acted as observers in the trial, after the initial retention of lawyer Francisco Serrano.

Spanish media such as RTVE and Cadena Ser have been present at the gates of the court; they interviewed the Saharawi activist Ahmed Brahim Ettanji (Equipo Media). Other Saharawi activists such as Brahim Dahn (ASVDH), who has also spoken to the press, were also present.
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In El Aaiun there have been intense demonstrations in connection with the re-trial of Sahrawi political prisoners of the Gdeim Izik group. The solidarity movement in Spain and France mobilised to demand the immediate release of Saharawi political prisoners by organising about 20 demonstrations (Algeciras, Alicante, Barcelona, ​​Bilbao, Jaen, Jerez de la Frontera, Madrid, Oviedo, Palma de Mallorca, Las Palmas Of Gran Canaria, Pamplona, ​​Tenerife, Santander, Lanzarote, Seville, Valencia, Vigo, Zaragoza, Granada, among others). For its part, the Saharawi community in France has concentrated in Paris.

​They cut the Internet connections around the Salé court during the trial of the Sahrawi political prisoners of GdeimIzik

EQUIPO MEDIA. ​January 23, 2017

​Moroccan authorities cut off Internet access in all areas around the Court of Sale, where the trial of the heroes of Gdeim Izik is taking place, in an attempt to silence the case, once they found that many assistants Began to hang pictures and videos on social networks, supporting the prisoners and their families, Equipe Media contributed to show what happened by broadcasting live and reporting through Facebook, although it was interrupted by the cut in the network, We were able to verify that this cut in the communications has applied it to a radius of approximately one thousand meters, increasing the area of interruption of the communications that used the previous time

The provocations do not understand age

EQUIPO MEDIA. January 23, 2017

The Saharawi boy Kamal Laroussi, son of the political prisoner Abdul Jalil Laroussi, was the victim of the impact of a bottle, thrown by one of the Moroccan agitators present, they tried by all means to provoke the Saharawi assistants, after realizing the success that was With the follow-up to the Judgment of the heroes of #GdeimIzik both in the place and in the social networks and the many samples of solidarity with them, the Moroccan police present in the place, I take no action despite the protest of the assistants Saharawis.
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We, the relatives of the #SharawiPoliticalPrisoners, associations of #HumanRights solidarity movement and the Saharawi people, support the #GdeimIzik group, denounce their imprisonment and demand their freedom. We denounce the military joke trial that took place in February 2013 and this new civil trial joke. We demand their immediate release and that the international community intervene to safeguard their rights.
Original text in Spanish published by Poemario por un Sahara Libre yesterday 23rd January.
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Key Bay case: Polisario Front lodges a complaint with the European and French authorities

1/17/2017

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​Key Bay case: Polisario Front lodges a complaint with the European and French authorities

​For a strict application of the judgment of 21 December 2016

The Polisario Front is paying close attention to the conditions under which the Key Bay vessel, which has embarked fish oil at ElAaiun, will be obliged to comply with European law, as recalled in the judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union on 21 December 2016, which must be fully enforced.

Thanks to the action, on the spot, of Pilar Alvarez, Deputy Mayor of Las Palmas, and Florent Marcellesi, MEP, all information is now available. The Key Bay stopped in Las Palmas (Spain) to fill up fuel, and during this short period of time, the Guardia Civil was able to see the documents allowing transport. It appears that the authorizations were issued at ElAaiun, under Moroccan occupation, which establishes the violation of international law. Indeed, there has been fishing for the Saharawi waters, then their transformation into oil, then embarkation, all under so-called Moroccan authorizations, with the aim of placing on the European market products for human use. Such products can only enter the European market if they are accompanied by certificates of origin and health guarantees drawn up by the administration of the State of origin.

In its judgment of 21 December 2016 the Court held that Morocco and Western Sahara were separate territories of distinct sovereignty and that the agreements concluded between the European Union and Morocco could in no case be applied In the Western Sahara. Thus, the products allegedly Moroccan but which actually come from the Saharawi waters and the port of ElAaiun can be exported by European companies and access to the European market only with the authorization of the Polisario Front, the sole representative of the Saharawi people. Mr. Mhamed Khadad, member of the leadership of the Polisario Front, said: "This concerns all waters under Saharawi sovereignty and all port boats since ElAaiun. Morocco is the occupying military power, subject to the Fourth Geneva Convention, and has no right to issue export authorizations ".

Yesterday, 16 January 2016, MEPs - Mrs Florent Marcellesi, José Bové and Bodil Valero (The Greens) - formally seized Mrs Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union, Mr Malmstrom, European Commissioner for Trade and Mr Moscovici , European Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, of violations of European law that would be committed if the Key Bay could proceed to the landing of a cargo coming from the Saharawi waters and a Saharawi port.

Mr. Mhamed Khadad announced on January 17th that the Polisario Front will file a complaint with the European Commission and the customs authorities in France within 48 hours to ensure that European law is respected: "We hope for dialogue, but we are determined To enforce the judgment of the Court of Justice ". According to the officially published road map, the Key Bay must arrive in Fécamp in France at the end of this week. The French customs authorities would violate European law by admitting the landing of products which are not guaranteed by valid certificates of origin, then Morocco is not sovereign at ElAaiun.

The Polisario Front asks the European Commission and the customs authorities to draw up a report of the illegality of this export and that the cargo be seized in accordance with the requirements of European customs law.

Bir Lahlou, January 17, 2017

Original text in French published by Barbara Weingarter on Facebook (see below).

​More info:
- English: http://www.wsrw.org/a105x3725
- French: ​
http://diasporasaharaui.blogspot.com.es/2017/01/lespagne-appelee-arreter-un-navire.html?spref=fb


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Pass it on!

10/3/2016

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Sandblast recently received a wonderful donation of a stunning Gibson electric guitar from a stranger, a man from Yorkshire, who prefers to remain anonymous. He wanted to share this guitar with others and give back some of the joy music has given him throughout his life. He chose to give the guitar to Sandblast after reading our statement of how his donation would benefit Saharawis in the refugee camps. 

This generous gesture has truly touched and inspired us.  In fact it inspired us so much that we decided to launch a campaign to get more guitar donations for the Saharawi refugee camps. The campaign is called PASS IT ON and operates on the belief that there are many other strangers out there and friends, of course, who would like to share with us something that can make a difference.
SO if you have a spare guitar you can share with the Saharawi refugees, please PASS IT ON. But we don't want to limit what you can give to only material things. If you have music skills that can benefit some of the musicians and music teachers we work with, PASS IT ON! Or if you are a music producer, a band manager, a music promoter with a yearning for adventure and want to share your experience, PASS IT ON!  And if you want to get involved but don’t have anything to donate, at the moment, you can always make a monetary contribution however small or big to help us with running costs.

You can click on the link below to donate and win your own copy of the Studio-Live-recorded song Standing Man, by singer-songwriter Pia de Keyser. Life is enhanced when you share; PASS IT ON!
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Newsletter September 2016

9/14/2016

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Greetings from Sandblast,

Hope you have had an enjoyable summer and feel recharged again to enjoy the active months ahead. We are now back in action and in this issue will highlight exciting news and developments since our Mid-summer Western Sahara Festival, in July, along with upcoming events which you shouldn’t miss.
OUR NEWS
Standing Man EP now available!
We are thrilled to announce that the Standing Man EP, recorded in the camps by singer-songwriter Pia de Keyser, is finally ready to be heard by the world.

Standing Man refers to the Moroccan soldiers that have been standing on the 2700km-long military wall in Western Sahara for 30 years. It was recorded at the Studio-Live equipped studio of the Saharawi National Music School by our very own Studio-Live-trained sound engineers. Read more.
Aziza Brahim in concert at Union Chapel on Sept 22
Leading international Saharawi singer Aziza Brahim is back to the UK with beautiful songs from her latest album Abbar El Hammada. Sandblast was the first organization to invite Aziza to the UK in 2007. She also headlined the launch of our Studio-Live project at The Roundhouse in 2012. We are proud to be part of her journey in becoming an outstanding cultural ambassador for the Saharawi cause of self-determination. Click to book tickets
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Stave House in the Sahara back to the refugee camps
We are very excited that our colleague Violeta Ruano will be returning to the Saharawi refugee camps for 3 months in October for the second stage of the early music education project Stave House in the Sahara. There is still time to become a sponsor of one of the children for only £30. Interested?

Sandblast is delighted to be one of the main partners of this project. We are deeply grateful to Ruth Travers from Stave House for generously donating the programme to the camps and to The London College of Music which has supported the project in various ways.  These partnerships along with some amazing support we've received from individual donors has made it possible for things to happen and develop. We're also thrilled to announce that Oxfam Solidarité (Belgium) have recently given €2500 to refurbish a room to create a music-making space for children, in the camp of Boujdour,  in support of Stave House in the Sahara. Read more

Fundraising and Run the Sahara 
2016 has been spectacular fundraising year for Sandblast. In total, we have raised nearly £30,000 for our project work in the Saharawi refugee camps. This has been thanks to the amazing efforts of our 2016 Run the Sahara runners and also to the generosity of donors who have shown support for our projects  in the camps, which currently are:

Saharawi Artivism Fund (SAF), Studio-Live Local and Stave House in the Sahara.

We now have a nice group of runners coming together for the 2017 Run the Sahara race in the Algerian Sahara next February. We hope to recruit at least 5 more people to join before the registration deadline on December 15. Please help us spread the word!. And if you are a former particpant, we would love you to encourage others to join us in 2017.

​Donations and Van hunting
This year has also been a great year for music equipment donations made in support of Studio-Live Local. We got a mint-shaped 24-track Tascam mobile recording studio in July and in early September a lovely electric guitar from David in Yorkshire.
 
Our next big mission is to get all the donations of the past 18 months transported in a donated or second-hand van, down to the camps, by the end of this year. If anyone loves these kinds of ventures and would like to help us please get in touch. We really need it!

Olive Branch Arts Cabaret Extravaganza on Sept 18
Come along for this fun night of fund-raising for their work with youth, women and theatre in the Saharawi refugee camps. Click here to book tickets
 
Music of Exile film teaser
Have you heard of the upcoming film Music of Exile from the Saharawi of Western Sahara? Directed and recorded by Katch Holmes it will be featured at WOMEX '16 in Santiago de Compostela (Spain) next Oct 21. Click on the pic to watch a short teaser and get inspired by the revolutionary history of Saharawi music!
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