project

Schools

Schools

In South Sudan, there is virtually no education system.  Where schools do exist, more than half of them are out in the open, under trees.  There are few text books and no established curriculum.  Most teachers are unpaid.

In Marial Baai county (formerly Ayat East payam), which includes Majok Adim, there were eight primary schools in 2009.  Five of them held classes under the trees.  Since then, PADA, with financial support from Hanti Sidra One Global Family of Canada, has constructed three schools to serve the seven villages in Majok Adim.  In addition, there are now latrines for both boys and girls, kitchens where food can be prepared for students, and wells are located near all the schools.  

Much still needs to be done to provide learning materials and equipment, and improve the quality of education, but a good start has been made. 

1.

Maluil Primary School was completed in 2010.  The two-building complex has eight classrooms and an office/staff room.  There is also a well, girls' and boys' latrines and a kitchen.

2.

Majok Adim Primary School has five classrooms, used mainly by students in Grades 4-8.  Younger students have classes on the veranda of the nearby multi-purpose (formerly clinic) building when it rains.  There are also a well, latrines and a kitchen in this complex.  Work was completed in 2012.

3.

Mabior Primary School has four classrooms.  At least temporarily, other students are in classrooms with mud brick walls and thatched roofs.  Work was completed in 2014.

4.

Villagers were actively involved in the planning and construction of all the schools.  Under the "Bricks for Filters" program, they were able to supply all the bricks for the schools in exchange for biosand water filters.

PROJECT

Housing for returnees

OPPORTUNITY

Construct low cost houses

IMPACT

Homes for nearly 2,000 people

Housing

The partitioning of Sudan into two countries after the independence of South Sudan in 2011 has created a huge influx of more than a half million ethnic southerners into their original homeland. The returnees, as they are called, are causing major strains on already limited education, health care and housing infrastructure in the poverty stricken south.
The UN High Commission for Refugees is mandated to help the
returnees settle in what is basically a new country for many who were born and raised in the north.  PADA has been cooperating with UN Habitat to mobilize returnees to build hundreds of new houses in Greater Aweil and Wau. 􀂋

1.

A total of 270 single room houses were built by PADA in collaboration with local communities: 170 houses at two locations near Wau and 100 houses at a location near Aweil.  Work was completed in 2015.

2.

On-the-job construction skills and training opportunities were provided to returnees.

3.

Clean water was supplied to the housing developments with repair of nine existing wells and construction of eight new boreholes.  A piped water supply system was installed at another location.

PROJECT

Health care

OPPORTUNITY

Provide facilities for health care delivery

IMPACT

Over 1,000 households in Majok Adim

Health

When PADA first began to operate in Majok Adim, health care was one of the top priorities identified by local residents.  PADA's first construction project was a four-room building, completed in 2009.  At first it was used as a sub-clinic, providing some basic treatment and dispensary services, and supplementing the work being done at a larger clinic about three kilometres away in Marial Baai town.  

When the operating costs of continuing this type of program became too high, the building became a multi-purpose community centre, providing health, educational and other services to the local villages.  It has been used as a base of operation for organizations such as the Malaria Consortium and for child vaccinations by UN programs. Villagers continue to have access to the clinic in Marial Baai, a small hospital in Nyamallel, and a larger regional hospital in Aweil.

1.

Facility has been established to provide basic, first-response services to about 6,000 people in Majok Adim.

2.

Building is available for use by UN and other agencies to conduct vaccinations, malaria prevention and hygiene and sanitation education programs.

3.

Multi-purpose building can be used for a variety of community activities.

PROJECT

Sports programs

OPPORTUNITY

Develop in a wide range of sports activities

IMPACT

Involve hundreds of youths

Sports

When Kolong was one of the Lost Boys at Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya, he learned the importance of sports activities for youths. The boys, who had no sports opportunities while they were fleeing from war in South Sudan, were able to compete successfully at the highest level in Kenya.

Three years ago he decided to introduce a sports program in the Greater Aweil area.  He organized a kind of mini-Olympics sports festival at the Aweil stadium, with competitions in basketball, volleyball, soccer and track and field.  It was a huge success, attracting hundreds of youths to compete. Thousands of spectators attended, including all the top government officials. 

1.

Word of the success of the sports program in Greater Aweil has spread to other parts of South Sudan.  Kolong has now been invited to introduce similar programs in Wau, Gogrial and elsewhere. 

2.

For the first time, girls have also been included in the sports competitions and they are participating enthusiastically.

3.

The program has attracted attention abroad as well.  Discussions have begun between Kolong and Lual Deng, a native of Aweil East who is a star basketball player with the Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA. Through his Lual Deng Foundation, he would like to build new basketball facilities and introduce training programs in Greater Aweil and elsewhere in South Sudan.