Help Lost Boys Support Education & Peace

We are grateful to contributors to “Support Lost Boys Building Schools in South Sudan” that began through Global Giving in late November 2013. As many people are aware through news reports, South Sudan, the newest country in the world, experienced some political, economic and social unrest and challenges in December while our Global Giving effort was new. We are inspired by so many people who emailed and called our offices and volunteer Raising South Sudan team members to say, “Keep going! The children of South Sudan still need education!”

So, below, dear friends and supporters, is a summary as of Monday, Feb. 17. As always, we invite your continued support of any and all aspects of our efforts to bring model education projects to Unity State, South Sudan, where adult illiteracy in some villages is 90%, and 2% of boys and 1% of girls graduate from 6^th grade simply because there is no place to study.

We announced the “Support Lost Boys Building Schools in South Sudan” campaign with a goal of raising $20,000 by December 31 – half the funds needed to construct the foundation of a school in the village of Aliap, with a goal of ground-breaking in early 2015. The project received $7,145 through Global Giving for which we thank everyone who contributed. That’s short of the goal, but a number of inspiring things have happened that we want to celebrate with you.

• Nyarweng School. The first school built in the village of Nyarweng, inspired by former Lost Boy of Sudan James Lubo Mijak, continues to operate. Literacy kits for 150 teachers and students have arrived in the capital Juba and will be delivered to the school in the next few weeks. A well has been built close-by, and Lubo will work with the community to ensure transportation of water to the students. A gathering of community leaders to plan the future of the school and paint murals at the school was postponed in December. It’s “back on the books” for this Spring.

• Gumriak and Nyarweng. We have always been vocal about the value of collaboration between former Lost Boys with dream projects in South Sudan, especially in Unity State where our Raising South Sudan projects are focused. In the past two months, our good working relationship with the “Gumriak” orphanage and school founded by former Lost Boys has strengthened further. We are cooperating to help support construction needs for Gumriak, and in turn sharing their teaching expertise with teachers at Nyarweng.

Above all, we continue to be inspired and moved by generous friends and supporters. Separate from the Global Giving campaign for school building in Aliap, we received donations and pledges of more than $40,000 toward Nyarweng, the first permanent primary school in the county. These contributions underline that education programs can be sustained in South Sudan.

Last, the volunteer planning team has met several times with regard to education needs and opportunities. Former Lost Boy of Sudan Ngor Kur Mayol has generously said, “South Sudan is learning to be a new country. It takes patience. Making Nyarweng a model school, first, will be a success for us all.” As for the $7,145 raised for a school in Aliap through Global Giving, we ask everyone to be on the lookout in the next 60 days for an official update about plans going forward. And we always welcome questions, suggestions, and messages of support: info@motheringacrosscontinents.org.

Links:

• WSOC-TV story that aired Dec. 25 about MAC in South Sudan