2024 Resettlement in South Sudan

There is a sense of optimism that despite significant safety concerns in rural South Sudan, the country has an opportunity to move past the civil war which has devastated the young nation. Education has been a priority and the primary school in Nyolo is bustling with activity. MAPSJ continues to support 5 teachers salaries and provide school supplies for 8 orphans to attend school. Our frontline health workers are working diligently to provide prenatal care to local women (see our 2012 summary) despite limited supplies. We are hopeful that the second half of 2024 will bring additional stability to the region and the remaining South Sudanese refugees in the UN settlement in Kiryandongo, Uganda will return to their homes in South Sudan. The area of Nyolo is fertile with a dependable water supply. Our sister non-profit, The Partnership for Community Development, is made up of South Sudanese committed to improving education and public health. The organization is well-positioned to make a an important contribution to the future of the South Sudanese community.

2023 The Migration back to South Sudan

With improving conditions in South Sudan, some of the refugees from the UN Kiryandongo Settlement in Uganda have moved back to their home villages. In Nyolo, along the Nile River, where MAPSJ previously supported infrastructure and public health programs, returning villagers found that the roof of the primary school had been blown off in a severe storm. Despite this, the school reopened with176 pupils with 5 of the teachers salaries supported through donations from MAPSJ. School fees and scholastic materials such as books, pens, and paper are funded through MAPSJ to 8 orphans.

Public health programs continue in both the UN settlement in Kiryandongo.  MAPSJ and the Partnership for Community Development have hired two water mechanics to fix damaged wells and restore a dependable source of clean water. Previous trainings have helped our 5 front-line health workers and 2 village health education specialists to provide health and sanitation education, first-aid, and pregnancy support.

Our Women’s Group, Kam Kwoki and Youth Group remained active with projects in the settlement and in Nyolo such as buying and selling of produce, making liquid soap, and animal husbandry.

2022 A Year of Progress in the UN Kiryandongo Settlement

Although the Bedong school in the Kiryandongo Refugee settlement was closed for many months due to Covid, our sister non-profit in the UN settlement, the Partnership for Community Development, was able to continue critically needed programs. Immunization educational programs were carried out by our health educators and the Women’s Group, Kam Kwoki. Our Youth Group remained active with projects in the settlement. The computer center funded by MAPSJ provided critically needed income for South Sudanese refugees by teaching computer literacy, charging phones, and providing copy services in the UN settlement.

2021 Covid in Africa: New Challenges in the Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement

Despite the tragedy of Covid-19, your donations have allowed us to continue critically needed programs. By working with our non-profit partner, the Partnership for Community Development (comprised of South Sudanese refugees within the Kiryandongo UN Refugee Settlement) we fully funded our programs in 2021. The women’s club, Kam Kwoki, actively sells hand-made products in the local market. A youth group is raising and selling pigs. The computer center (powered by solar panels) teaches computer literacy and charges cell phones and provides copier services. The pandemic has temporarily shut down the Bidong school but we are optimistic that it will re-open soon.

2020 A Glimpse of Hope in South Sudan

In February of 2020, only weeks before travel was restricted by the Covid virus pandemic, Dr. Chuck Radis, the president of the Maine-African Partnership for Social Justice, traveled to Uganda to help facilitate several projects with the South Sudanese led organization: Partnership for Community Development. Headed by Robert Owot, and with a capable leadership team, the two organizations continue their vital work in the Kiryandongo United Nations refugee settlement. A group of bee-keepers we support are selling their honey locally. Educational programs by the health team have helped with First-Aid education. Finally, the Bidong school was provided with 4 computers and school supplies to supplement the use of Rachel, a remote teaching tool. The technology has been eagerly adopted by the teaching staff.

2018 South Sudanese refugees

In 2018, Dr. Chuck Radis and Charlie Roscoe visited the Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement and met with leaders of the South Sudan community. School supplies donated by the Peaks Island grammar school were delivered to the Bidong school within the refugee settlement. Kam Kwoki, a local women’s club received a shipment of reusable menstrual pads sewn by the Maine Federation of Women’s Clubs, to distribute to girls in the settlement school. Mr. Roscoe and headmaster Joseph Okeny initiated the use of Rachel, a remote access teaching tool for eight graders in the St. Bakhita School within the settlement. Honey from a bee cooperative, and clothing and other products from the Women’s Club were sold in the United States to fund further educational and medical support activities.

2017 Kiryandongo UN Refugee Settlement

In 2017, Dr. Chuck Radis visited the Kiryandongo United Nations Refugee Settlement in northern Uganda several times, where many of our friends from the Kit River region of South Sudan have fled. The 350 children from the Nyolo School in South Sudan are now attending the Bidong Primary School in the settlement. Robert Owot (our South Sudanese coordinator) has an excellent team with capable leaders in Public Health (Margaret Allo), vocational training (Jackline LaJara), and education and computer training (Benson Komakech). The Maine Chapter of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (MGFWC) provided critical assistance with school supplies to the Bidong school and financial support for the education of orphans. A computer lab powered by solar panels is now up and running with the ongoing partnership of MAPSJ and the General Federation of Women’s Clubs of Maine

2016 Partnership with the Maine Chapter of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs

Although 2016 was marked by violence in South Sudan, the villages in the Kit River region continued to work in collaboration to maintain health and education services. The Maine Chapter of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs partnered with MASPSJ  to ensure that every student—both boys and girls—has the opportunity to learn. Their fundraising enabled many of the orphans in the region to attend school for the first time. With violence intensifying, at the end of 2016, many of our friends from the Kit River region fled south into Uganda to the Kiryandongo United Nations Refugee Settlement.

2015 Well Repair Project for the Kit River Region

In response to a cholera outbreak in the Kit River Region, MAPSJ partnered with USAID and the county health department to repair local wells in the Kit River Region. The focus of the project was to train and equip local villagers so that well breakdowns can be repaired with local resources and trained technicians. The five-day training program was a success. Five villagers graduated and repaired eleven wells. We are proud of the efforts which the Village Health Organization committed to this important public safety effort.

We have been informed that in 2015, not a single mother was lost in child-birth. We attribute this to the knowledge and talent of the traditional birth attendants who attended our 2012 and 2012 training programs.

2014 Support for the Nyolo Hope Primary School

MAPSJ was proud to be associated with the opening of the Nyolo Hope Primary School, Partners include the Kit River Village Health Community Organization (comprised of the leaders from Nyolo, Kuwait, Ayii, and Aroo) and the non-profit Aserela.  Your support provided a lap-top computer for our South Sudanese coordinator, Robert Owot, and also helped us purchase bicycles for our traditional birth attendants.

2013 South Sudan First Aid Training Program

Daniel Crothers and Charles Radis DO, returned to South Sudan to provide a 4 day First-Aid program for 50 villagers.  Medical students Will Douglas, Sean Lena, and Lindsay Katona from the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine, and Dr. Kyle Ratner assisted in teaching the Solo Schools Wilderness Medicine course, and also evaluated basic First-Aid knowledge in our participants both before and after the training. The results of their research were published the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Many thanks to Frank Hubbell D.O., founder of SOLO Wilderness Medical School for offering the first-aid course free of charge to participants.

2012 South Sudan Medical Field Trip

In 2012, MAPSJ Medical Directors, Daniel Crothers and Dr. Charles Radis, traveled to the Kit River region of South Sudan to coordinate the training of l6 traditional birth attendants (TBA). The women were trained in pre-natal care and recognition of birth complications and received durable medical equipment and a weather resistant pictorial summary of their training developed by the Massachusetts General Hospital.