By Carol Francis-Rinehart | Executive Director U.S.
Dear Supporting Friends,
Thank you for your continued support of Project Education South Sudan’s Unleash the Leaders Girl’s Leadership Development program. We are proud to announce PESS is sharing our HIV/AIDS Youth Leadership and Menstrual Management Pad Vocational Programs in Nepal, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Equatoria, South Sudan. We, as you know, had a hiccup in our implementation dates in South Sudan due to the internal conflict that erupted in December 2013.
Many of the girls and their families are now returning home to Bor from the IDP and refugee camps in order to continue their education. The HIV/AIDS Youth Leadership Program is soon to be implemented at our schools in Bor County. We recently received a report from Daniel, our South Sudan Director, notifying us that our HIV/AIDS program has been approved by the headmasters of Langbaar Modern Secondary School and John Garang Memorial University in Bor February-April 2015! We are now in negotiations with Malek Secondary Academy in Juba.
Abuk, Malek Secondary Academy recent graduate and former Pagook Primary School student whom we are so very proud of, just finished her exit exam as the only girl sitting! She is awaiting results to continue higher education as a nurse. Abuk is excited about being one of the few select girl graduates at Malek. She is not wasting any time being idle though. While waiting for her exit exam results, she is taking a computer course.
We have also heard from two other former PESS students: Pagook Primary School graduate and Malek Secondary Academy student, Anna, whom you might remember from our "Anna Rocks Computer Class!" post. Anna is doing very well as one of the outstanding students at Malek Academy. Her dream after graduation is to continue onto post-secondary studies in Medicine. “I am very happy and feel proud of my accomplishments thus far. I could not have had this life changing opportunity without supporters like you so I can continue my journey of becoming a female doctor in the future. Thank you.”
Akur, former Ayak Anguei Girls Primary School student is in her second year at Malek Academy. She is determined to succeed. “In April of 2014, I joined Malek Academy after the devastating conflict in December of this year destroyed my high school in Bor. I could not have done this without the support of PESS, She’s the First, Global Giving and all of you who continue to believe in me. It is because of you I have hope of making it to university in order to fulfill my dream of becoming a lawyer or an accountant. Because of the hope I now carry, I will make sure that ALL girls should be able to go to school.”
Abuk, Anna and Akur are looking forward to being a part of the implementing leadership for the HIV/AIDS Youth Leadership and Menstrual Management Pad Vocational programs this winter.
So, the girls are becoming the leaders we knew they would become, they are Unleashing the Leaders in themselves with your support!
Thank you again for being there in the midst of the harrowing conflict. The girls know there are girls, women and men out there who care and are so grateful for hanging in there for them!
With peace and gratitude,
Meera Meyer Carol Francis-Rinehart
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