Home

South Sudan

South Sudan finally became a new nation on 9th July 2011 with more than 99% of the population voting in favour of independence. The Sudan Civil War was Africa’s longest-running conflict, lasting almost without interruption from 1955 to 2005, ravaging a once rich and fertile land, and forcing thousands of citizens into exile in Uganda and other neighbouring countries.

Since 2002, Afrinspire has supported groups of Sudanese refugees living in Uganda. These have now returned to their original homes and villages to resettle, often with next to nothing by way of possessions. We have been working closely with John Noah Komi of the Sani-Tayi Self Help Group, who is an experienced and respected leader known in many communities across South Sudan. With his advice we have been helping farming families by providing them with a few hoes, seeds and some tools with which they can become self-sufficient. Each family needs a hoe, a panga (machete), an axe and several kilos of seeds to start again. The total cost is just £9. For this a family can begin to feed itself.

Providing Education
 

One problem is that so many young Sudanese have received no schooling. Three generations of those who stayed in Sudan have been without an education. Whole communities do not know what school is until returnees bring the idea with them. The Sani-Tayi Self Help Group is starting schools among the Mundari people in Terekeka: a place where, in the words of John Komi, the nomadic cattle-keepers are ‘still living in extreme poverty in all areas of life'. This manifests itself in

 health and hygiene issues, illness and low life expectancy. Schools have been set up at Lajora and Gwuluka. The next places will be Nantiko and Mogiri. They begin with medicines, school materials and clothes for the children and adults who do not have them. They form schools for 200 children under trees and then they begin to build simple structures. The schools act as community centres to serve a community of around 4,000 people. The returning refugees have the skills and knowledge to help bring forward the lives of the people in this area. Afrinspire is the main financial supporter for this initiative. A classroom costs £785 for the poles, timber, nails and roofing.

  Key Facts

• The vast majority of the population of Southern Sudan is rural; just over 8 million people live in a region significantly larger than France
• Half the population lacks access to clean water and it’s estimated that there are only 100 certified midwives in the whole of Southern Sudan
• 51 % of the population are living in absolute poverty (MagInternational)
• 45,000 refugees lived in the two settlements where Afrinspire worked
• Under 1% of girls currently complete primary education in Sudan (UNICEF)
• Afrinspire has donated 1,120 tools, and helped 410 families become self sufficient
• We have given 50 scholarships and provided 1,800 children with textbooks and stationary in 10 different schools

Read more about Sudanese Refugees 

Read more articles from our November Newsletter