Fatima
Fatima is approximately 50 years old, and as you see by her radiant smile, she is extremely happy these days, delighted to no longer be suffering from the frightening symptoms that were debilitating her life.
It began one day when she started experiencing intense headaches. Soon the headaches came more and more often, until Fatima could do nothing under the intensity of the pain. She found her way to a local clinic and received some medicine, which unfortunately helped for only a short period of time.
When the headaches returned, they were worse than before. A local pharmacist suspected she had malaria. Fatima received some tablets, but it was not enough to alleviate her pain. Her symptoms continued to worsen and her condition deteriorated. Soon her body was shivering and stiffening, and Fatima would often scream out loud in pain.
She was taken to a local hospital, where the staff referred her to the Mother of Mercy Hospital in Gidel. Run by missionary doctor, Tom Catena, and supported by Sudan Relief Fund, the hospital treats patients who need care that goes beyond what their local facilities can provide. It is the only hospital of its kind for hundreds of miles and has saved countless lives.
In addition to the previous malaria diagnosis, Fatima learned she was also suffering from dangerously high blood pressure and intensive stress. At Mother of Mercy Hospital, she received a full diagnosis and a combination of medications to treat her complete condition. Within a few days, she experienced welcome relief from her terrifying and incapacitating symptoms. She recovered well and was released to return home.
Here Fatima is pictured with her daughter, who is thrilled to have her mother back. “I cannot hide my joy upon seeing my mum’s full recovery,” she said. “If this hospital wasn’t here, my mother could have died. I want to thank all those who keep the doors of this hospital open. Thank you for helping in the healing of my mother. God bless you.”
Would you like to pray for us? Lifting Up South Sudan is a group of people helping transform lives in South Sudan through the power of prayer. You’ll receive a new prayer request weekly by email, and be part of a team praying to bring light and hope to this despondent part of the world. To learn more or sign up for emails, go here.
Saint Bakhita’s Orphanage Evacuated Due to Attacks from the West
A brutal faction swept across the western border of South Sudan into the Tombura region, causing thousands to flee their homes as gunshots and fires tore through communities. Those living at Saint Bakhita’s Orphanage were also evacuated. We have confirmation that all the residents of the children’s home have been successfully moved to a safer location for the interim.
Prior to the evacuation, workers fled the orphanage in fear for their safety, leaving Sister Bianca Bii isolated with 80 children. Determined not to leave the children alone, Sister Bianca stayed with them while local partners arranged for their transport out of the area.
The fighting stems from tribal conflict which originated from the western state of the Central African Republic. Being a fragile and divided nation within itself, the government of South Sudan has not responded or sent troops to protect its citizens from the aggression. As a result, residents had no choice but to flee to unaffected areas.
Certain NGO’s and UN organizations have stepped in to aid the nearly 30,000 displaced by the recent assault and have sent in peacekeeping forces. Several parishes in the region where Sudan Relief Fund works are currently hosting displaced populations. We are working with our partners like Bishop Eduardo Kussala and Father Avelino to send in relief supplies.
Hundreds of families have settled temporarily in Father Avelino’s parish, and he has kept the schools and churches open for them. Encouraging the displaced population, Father Avelino said, “I have told them that when one has to run, one may lose everything, land, house, properties, but two things we carry with us wherever we go: our faith and our education.”
While we are thankful Sister Bianca and the children are also in a safe location, there are over five thousand people sharing a makeshift refuge in the same area. Every day this large population needs significant resources to meet their needs. Many cannot return to homes and lands that have been burned and destroyed.
We are grateful for your commitment to take care of the needs of the children of St. Bakhita’s. Right now your support continues to be as vital as ever, to bridge the current crisis for Sister Bianca and the children until a more permanent arrangement can be made. As they look to her for leadership and consolation, Sister Bianca, who is in her 70’s and now their sole guardian, is tasked with caring for 80 children on a daily basis in a temporary camp environment.
Harvest, Celebrations, and Higher Ed Mark New School Year
Sister Orla, Principal of Loreto Rumbek Schools, sends greetings and updates from her area as the new school year begins. Loreto Rumbek Schools is a combined campus of primary and secondary schools, which contains other facilities such as a health clinic, dormitories for secondary level girls, and agricultural projects. Sudan Relief Fund and our donors are instrumental in supporting these activities.
Strong Enrollment
Primary school is in session once again, and Sister Orla was encouraged by how many parents came to enroll their children – a welcome sign of progress in a country with traditionally the lowest rate of school attendance in the world.
Tenth Anniversary
The schools recently celebrated the 10th anniversary of their nation’s independence. While challenges in the country remain, the school is grateful for all that’s been achieved and for continuing to move forward. Students celebrated the day with a focus on finding ways to advocate for a more peaceful nation, and exploring ideas to create change even in smaller ways within their campus.
Higher Education for Women
The school gave a special send off to five graduate interns who have served in the administration the past two years. Three young women are headed to Kenya to continue their education, and two will attend nursing school in a neighboring state. All five girls expressed their deepest gratitude to the donors of Loreto Rumbek Schools, without whose support they would not have the rare opportunity they are embarking upon. Often young women here who gain the chance to achieve higher education return to their communities to share and give back.
Harvesting Together
It is harvest time in the area, and students who chose not to go home during the holiday could stay and earn money by assisting with the harvest. Each year they work in teams to uproot, dry, shell, and roast ground nuts which are used throughout the school year in the kitchen. Coming from various backgrounds and regions of the country, students exchange techniques and share their different harvesting methods with each other.
Malaria Spikes
The rains are returning to the region, which invariably bring increased mosquito populations. Over 300 students tested positive for malaria in one week so far, which equates to one in every four students. Thanks to the ongoing support you provide, Sudan Relief Fund is able to offer medicines and additional measures to keep children safe.
Student Returns to Give Back
Alumna Elizabeth Nyanakak was welcomed back to the Loreto Rumbek schools, only this time she arrives as a licensed midwife. Having just completed her studies at the Catholic Health Training Institute (CHTI) in Wau, Elizabeth has returned to serve on campus. The clinic here not only treats the needs of students and staff, but has been instrumental in serving the public, as one of the only healthcare facilities in the region to remain open during COVID. Elizabeth is an uplifting example of giving back to the institution that enabled her to gain a higher education, and using it to help others.
Teachers on Wheels
With over 1200 primary students across morning and afternoon sessions, it’s imperative that teachers can commute to class. Many teachers live a great distance from the campus and spend significant time walking each way daily. Recently the administration was able to purchase several bicycles to speed up the process. The bikes were well received and accepted with enthusiasm by school teachers.
Thank you for partnering with us to support all the many activities of Loreto Rumbek schools. You are giving the vital gift of lifting up children here through educational opportunity.
Making Childbirth Safer
Nimad’s path to motherhood has been a difficult one, marred with more heartache and loss than any mother should endure. Sadly this is not uncommon for women in South Sudan, where the record of maternal and infant mortality ranks the worst in the entire world. But facilities like Mother of Mercy Hospital in Gidel are making meaningful progress to change that outcome for women and children.
Nimad’s case fell tragically into those statistics. She is 34 and married to a farmer. Over the years Nimad has given birth to many children, only one of which – her first one – survived.
She recounts how her pregnancies always seemed to be fine and progressed without incident. Then suddenly she would lose the babies just before, during, or shortly after delivery. It’s difficult to imagine the heartache of a mother going through that experience time and again.
But this time would be different. Nimad had the opportunity to be seen at Mother of Mercy Hospital, where due to her history, it was strongly recommended she undergo a caesarean section birth for both the safety of Nimad and her unborn child.
Nimad underwent the c-section surgery successfully. This time the occasion was marked with joy, as she happily delivered her child well and healthy. Nimad was more than delighted to hold her new baby girl in her arms, whom she named Vivian.
“I am so grateful to God for giving me this gift,” said Nimad, when asked how she felt after the successful arrival of her baby girl, “and to Dr. Tom and his team for the surgery which saved my daughter’s life. And to the donors who supply these services and medicines. May the good Lord bless you so much.”
Would you like to pray for us?
Lifting Up South Sudan is a group of people helping transform lives in South Sudan through the power of prayer. You’ll receive a new prayer request weekly by email. You’ll be part of a vital team praying to bring light and hope to this despondent part of the world. To learn more or sign up for emails, go here.
Early Rains Cause Widespread Flooding; Hundreds of Thousands Displaced as Farms and Livestock Destroyed
Nearly 400,000 people in South Sudan are stranded or displaced due to widespread flooding that submerged homes, swept away livestock, and destroyed farmlands, according to an announcement by the UN humanitarian agency, OCHA, on Tuesday. Families are left homeless and without livelihoods, as vulnerable populations like the elderly or infirmed remain behind without the means to get out.
Sudan Relief Fund partners on the ground have confirmed the news, stating, “Floods have displaced thousands and crops are washed away. I pity the children, who as of now have gone almost a week with no proper nutrition for survival. We don’t know what will happen next.” The photos in this story are real images of the disaster taken by our partners.
The extent of flooding has made it a challenge to bring aid to affected communities or rescue stranded victims, since flooded roads have rendered transportation routes impassable. The country does not have the means to airlift people out of danger zones or drop relief supplies by air.
The majority of flooding is concentrated in the areas of Unity and Jonglei states, according to the UN agency. Seasonal rains came early to the country this year, and soon the nation will be entering their typical rainy season, spurring the OCHA to warn of “more heavy rains and flooding expected in the coming months.”
Many residents of Jonglei fled to the state’s capital city of Bor, but local resident Michael Gai, who sought refuge there himself, reported many were unable to move to higher ground because the flooding is “coming from all different directions – east, south, north and west.”
This natural disaster is the latest flood following a similar deluge that happened a year ago, from which 100,000 of the displaced still have not returned to their farmland – much of which never fully receded and remains under water until now.
The already impoverished nation of South Sudan is facing greater food shortages and even higher prices on essential commodities. With flooded crops destroyed and transportation of food and resources hindered by non-passable roads, locals are seeing prices skyrocketing. Even areas unaffected by the floods are feeling the effects of rising prices, since vendors can’t get their products to markets.
The crisis is exacerbated by nonexistent social programs in the nation, where there is no insurance to compensate for losses of property or livelihoods, and no welfare provisions for those who have nothing left.
According to a 2018 report by the World Bank, four out of five people in South Sudan already live in “extreme poverty.” The OCHA said more assistance is needed to scale up the response in order for humanitarian agencies to reach afflicted communities.
Breaking News – St. Bakhita’s Orphanage
Recently we wrote about the tribal conflict that swept unexpectedly through parts of the Tombura-Yambio region of South Sudan, forcing families to flee their homes as shooting and fires erupted throughout communities.
Fearing for their lives, the volunteers at St. Bakhita’s orphanage left, leaving Sister Bianca Bii and all the children residing at St. Bakhita’s Orphanage alone. Our partner Bishop Kussala, having heard of this situation, quickly put together a convoy to evacuate them all temporarily to a safe location.
This is a breaking news scenario and we will continue to share updates with you as we receive more information. In the meantime, we are grateful Sister Bianca and the children have all been safely relocated. We ask for your ongoing prayers over their situation, especially because their new temporary location still has difficult living conditions, and the evacuation has been very stressful and frightening for the children.
For years, Sister Bianca’s work in rescuing orphaned children and giving them a transformative life at St. Bakhita’s has been supported by the Sudan Relief Fund and our donors. To read more, go here.
Hope for Moses
We are so grateful to you for partnering with us to bring help and hope to children at St. Bakhita’s Orphanage. Your response to our appeal from Sister Bianca Bii recently provided crucial resources to meet an urgent need.
Thanks to you, children were able to receive essential food staples, soap, garden supplies, clothing, and medicines for ongoing needs like malaria prevention. Thank you for your generosity. You should know that your sponsorship is changing lives for children who have nowhere else to go.
Let me introduce you to one such young life you are rescuing. Meet 8 year-old Moses. His life was turned upside down one heartbreaking day when tragically both of his parents were shot by militia. In that moment everything changed. Suddenly Moses faced life as an orphan. Can you imagine surviving as an eight year-old all on your own in the perils of South Sudan?
Thankfully, Moses and his brothers escaped with their lives. But his brothers were too young to be able to take care of him. Fortunately, instead of facing abandonment as many children do, he was brought to St. Bakhita’s Orphanage, where Sister Bianca Bii took him in. At St. Bakhita’s he has shelter, a bed to sleep in, clean water to drink, food, clothing, and even basic healthcare. Life has not been easy for Moses. But at least now he will have a chance for a successful future.
Moses is now attending St. Mary’s Primary School, a facility also supported by Sudan Relief Fund. With the help of our donors, we have financed ongoing improvements at the school since 2014. When the roof was damaged in 2020, we were able to supply a new roof. And thanks to our supporters, we funded the construction of an entire new school building in 2019 to keep up with the need.
Lack of schooling is one of the many challenges here, a nation with one of the lowest rates in the world for children in regular school attendance. Being equipped with an education is a tremendous opportunity for Moses to help him achieve a hopeful and sustainable future. Your gifts also fund scholarships to help other orphans living at St. Bakhita’s pay for fees and uniforms so they, too, can have the chance to go to school. Not only does the gift of education prepare these youth to take care of themselves, the educated are often able to raise others up out of poverty and stop cycles of violence.
These are some of the things you are making happen as sponsors of St. Bakhita’s Orphanage. None of this work would be achieved without our team of sponsors and donors who support our work. You are an integral part of everything that is being done here.
On behalf of Moses and other orphaned children like him – children dealing with hardships and tragedies they did nothing to deserve – thank you for your compassion. We hope you are encouraged by seeing the lifechanging results you are bringing into their hearts and lives.
Sincerely,
Neil A. Corkery, President
SRF 2021 3RD Quarter Newsletter
SRF 2021 2ND Newsletter
Healthcare, Education, Water and Food Initiatives Mark Progress Made in Past Year with Support
The past twelve months at the Loreto-Rumbek campus have seen unprecedented challenges with COVID-19 affecting the complex and inter-related way the world operates. Yet Sister Orla Treacy, Irish missionary and Principal of the Loreto-Rumbek schools, gratefully recapped many steps forward that were achieved in spite of the uncharted circumstances.
Healthcare
Earlier this year the government asked the healthcare clinic which operates onsite at the Loreto-Rumbek campus to remain open during COVID, to help serve the swelling needs of the surrounding community. Shutdowns had affected nearly all other healthcare services in the area, and the clinic on the school compound became the sole source of help for thousands of people.
Sister Orla recounted how the clinic typically addressed 1,500 new COVID cases a month at the outset of the pandemic. Now that figure has more than tripled, as they have expanded capabilities to treat 5,000 cases every month from patients coming to their facility for help. “We have been able to expand our healthcare and a greater number of people are able to receive needed medicines because of your support,” she reported.
Clean Water
With help from donors, three different clean water access points were provided to the local communities. Sister Orla noted how women and girls are spending less time and walking shorter distances to obtain clean water, since it is now available in or near their villages. She added that hygiene conditions are also greatly improving as people in the communities have access to clean water.
Education
Sister Orla shared how the campus was able to provide shelter and education for 300 girls this year from all over the country. She said the girls feel secure and happy living here and thrive in their environment at the secondary school. The school continues to make great strides in providing education to girls in a nation where secondary school is not traditionally viewed as necessary for young women, as well as to protect them from the perils of early marriage. The school also sustained a live-in population of students and staff during the pandemic lockdowns.
Food Security
Because of ongoing support, food assistance was provided to many vulnerable families in the community. “A lot of them can’t come in to the compound to receive food help (because of COVID restrictions), but many of our graduates were able to reach out and deliver food to help the families in need,” explained Sister Orla, demonstrating a rewarding example of young adults giving back to the community.
“None of this would have been possible without the ongoing support we receive from the Sudan Relief Fund,” Sister Orla stressed. She urged supporters to share with others the good news of what’s being done in this corner of South Sudan, with the collective help of individuals who are making a difference from thousands of miles away.