The Southern Sudan Healthcare Organization (SSHCO) was the dream of one of the Lost Boys, Dr. Jacob Atem. While still in undergraduate school, he started SSHCO because he wanted to give back to his homeland. He has seven goals or what he calls the Seven Pillars of his non-profit. These include health, education, agriculture or food security, livelihoods, community, emergency, and faith. Project S.U.C.C.E.S.S. addresses several of these pillars.
EDUCATION: A quick indicator of the level of need for education resides in the fact that the national literacy rate is 32%. It is clear that education is the key to a sustainable future in South Sudan. Seventy percent of children are not in school. Seventy-two percent of children drop out of school before finishing the primary grades. Project S.U.C.C.E.S.S. is working with SSHCO to help provide this key pillar and built an education center in the camp in February of 2022.
FOOD SECURITY / AGRICULTURE: Our world leaders have consistently identified both healthcare and food security as the two greatest risk factors in South Sudan. SSHCO exist as an organization to bring health and basic nutritional needs are fundamentally intertwined with its mission. Through its partnerships with organizations and subject matter experts, SSHCO is dedicated to facilitating the training and development of agriculture. Project S.U.C.C.E.S.S. will train women and the students in best practices in growing their own gardens and fruit trees.
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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: SSHCO hopes to make the community at the displacement camp become self-sufficient and begin steps to funding their own schools. Helping women start their own businesses is key to making this a reality. Project S.U.C.C.E.S.S. will help the women develop businesses that will help them become self-sufficient in providing for their families and improving the economic condition of the community.
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COMMUNITY: This pillar includes the improvement of regional security measures, small business support, and planning for a new community in the displacement camp. SSHCO believes that the creation of lasting relationships with community leaders, and the various tribal chiefs is irreplaceable in the accomplishment of SSHCO's stated goals. The solutions that it proposes, and the many more to come in the future, must be based on the design and works of those who they directly impact: the citizens. As such, SSHCO will form key relationships with committee members who oversee each of its projects. This creates community ownership of community solutions, as opposed to foreign ownership of foreign solutions. Project S.U.C.C.E.S.S. sees that having the community commitment in working together to provide schools in the camp is the model that will give the community ownership and commitment in maintaining the school in the future.