Southern Sudan Healthcare Organization (SSHCO) has been working in South Sudan since 2008 to improve the health and well-being of the South Sudanese people so that they may have hope and prosperity. In 2020 when half of South Sudan was flooded, SSHCO was one of the first to provide healthcare to the 92,000 displaced people at the Mongalla camp. It's been a year since the first IDPs started arriving. SSHCO is partnering with others who have come to provide medical help to families in the displacement camp.
They have joined with H.E.L.P. for the Lost Boys to work together to explore how to meet the educational needs of the children in the camp.
In my work with various groups, I have met others who are trying to improve the education in their area of South Sudan. Using the resources on the South Sudan Ministry of Education website, I was able to align my literacy lessons with the country's standards. Providing the instructional materials for the math curriculum, helps teachers to have the needed resources to teach.
I belong to Alpha Delta Kapa, an international honorary organization for women educators that has provided many opportunites for sharing my work with other educators. Through various grants I have received, I have been able to share with students here in the United States the story of the Lost Boys and the projects they are involved in to help their people.
South Sudan has had decades of food insecurity because of the constant violence, droughts and flooding. Agricultural training is key to helping the people learn how to provide food for themselves. In 2018. I had an agricultural expert, Dan Janzen, do training in the remote village of Piol, He has partnered with SSHCO and me in writing grants to receive seeds from Seed Program International.
SSHCO is partnering with the Seed Effect organization to develop savings-led microfinance program that will help empower displaced families and those trapped in material poverty to know Jesus and provide for their families with dignity. This holistic economic development strategy is transforming lives. Seed Effect's Christ-centered savings-led microfinance program provides a safe place for poor housholds to save and borrow money in order to generate income.
Since the school in the displacement camp does not have electricity or internet, I contacted a company in Singapore called Patatas which specializes in providing innovative technology that will help teachers provide lessons to large groups of children and connect them to other educational sites like Khan Academy math lessons.
I have written literacy lessons that will be able to be shown to students using this equipment. The technology has a LED projector, solar panels, a Raspberry Pi, and other equipment that will allow us to provide instruction in unique and exciting ways.
