Oct 2, 2020
It’s been a busy few months for our friends in Rumbeck in South Sudan. The fields are harvested and after 6 months absence, the students and the teachers are returning back from their different places of quarantine.
We have experienced many emotions but overall there has been great joy that we can return to teaching.
While malaria season continues they have been counting their blessings that they haven’t seen the obvious signs of coronavirus, but continue to take extra safe measures and hope and pray that they can prevent it from prevailing. Their delicate infrastructure simply would not be able to cope.
Earlier in the month of September, the Councils of Ministers in South Sudan made a decision concerning the reopening of schools and Loreto Rumbeck has decided to stagger the return of their students by 2 week intervals as a quarantine measure and to enforce social distancing measures.
Also in September “Mary’s meals” assisted the Rumbeck community by distributing food to local schools supported by the Diocese of Rumbek (DOR) through DOR Education. Loreto Primary School is one of the beneficiaries of Mary’s Meals. The distributions consisted of maize, beans, oil, salt, and soap. Since the students were still at home, parents and guardians collected the supplies on behalf of the students. This was done to encourage the pupils to continue their focus on education even while they were at home. Mary’s Meals has supported the Loreto school for many years and this has heavily impacted our high levels of school attendance – especially in the lower primary grades.
Recently an extra room, “a space for healing” was built for counselling at the school. The youths find great benefit in Sr Petra’s counselling sessions and as they were previously been held in the computer lab, it wasn’t ideal as they were being continuously interrupted. This was facilitated by you the donors support and Loreto Rumbeck are extremely grateful.
The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart are always proud to support the wonderful work done by the Loreto Sisters for the young women of South Sudan.
For more photographs and further information about Loreto Rumbek, visit their website or visit their Facebook page.
You can also find out more about how MSC Missions work with Loreto Rumbek – and how you can help to make a difference to the young women of South Sudan.
HELP US TO TRANSFORM LIVES IN SOUTH SUDAN
Jul 8, 2020
Things are increasingly difficult for our less fortunate friends in South Sudan lately. It has been been recognized among countries most at risk of what the UN World Food Programme (WFP) calls a “hunger pandemic”. Hunger and malnutrition in the country are at the most extreme levels since 2011, with almost 60% of the population struggling to find food every day. To add to this swarms of locusts which had destroyed crops across East Africa arrived in South Sudan earlier this year. They have also seen an increase in clan fights and revenge attacks, an increase in malaria, rains have been late and people are still struggling to plant .
And then of course to top all that they also have to deal with the dreaded Coronavirus.
As of today 7th July 2020, South Sudan has confirmed 2,021 cases, 333 recoveries and 38 deaths from the coronavirus . However in Loreto Rumbeck our companions Sr Orla Treacy, and the Loreto Sisters have informed us that It’s hard to know the real reality of Coronavirus, as they have only one official testing centre in the country a population of over 12 million. Tests sent from Rumbek can take up to two weeks, and meanwhile it seems that individuals are quarantined in their homes but their homes are small and basic and often can accommodate up to five people so social distancing at home isn’t very possible.
“On the more hopeful side of things we have a new Governor, we expect appointments for the State Ministers to be within this month.”
Another hopeful sign for them has been the rise of children under 5 being treated in the their clinic, in Rumbeck as they now represent 25% of overall patients. Unfortunately children are the most vulnerable in the community.
Photos courtesy of Loreto Schools Rumbeck on Facebook
During the month of June they have expanded as much as possible their knowledge of Covid-19, social distancing and health education in the clinic while also enjoying more personal protective equipment.
Sr Petra has been supporting the staff with psycho-social support, this has been appreciated by all. “Meanwhile our block makers are helping to keep the goats away from the crops while our resident staff are all having a chance to improve their cooking skills!”
The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart are always proud to support the wonderful work done by the Loreto Sisters for the young women of South Sudan.
For more photographs and further information about Loreto Rumbek, visit their website or visit their Facebook page.
You can also find out more about how MSC Missions work with Loreto Rumbek – and how you can help to make a difference to the young women of South Sudan.
HELP US TO TRANSFORM LIVES IN SOUTH SUDAN
Jun 4, 2020
As the world battles with covid-19 our companions from Loreto Rumbeck in South Sudan have added pressure in dealing with this deadly disease, however they are keeping up the spirit and doing the best to keep going during this pandemic.
“As we come to the end of the month of May we are grateful for many small achievements.
Our schools remained closed but our compound is still full of life. The rains have begun and while we are missing the support of our students we are all helping out with the planting. We look forward to September when we hope to feast on the harvest of groundnuts (monkey nuts) and maize.”
Some of their university students who have returned to them are continuing their studies online although a lot of their students cannot afford the opportunity. They were however grateful to connect with many of their Primary and Secondary girls when they came to receive their cash payment for the British project, Girls Education in South Sudan.
The journey of Coronavirus is becoming very real for them. In their capital of Juba many of their top political leaders have confirmed they are positive for coronavirus and a number of confirmed cases are now present in the town. Unfortunately they don’t have testing services in the State but they must assume that the virus is present and spreading fast.
“Our graduates are doing a great service, some go to the radios and have health talks while others are out and about in the community teaching about coronavirus. While masks aren’t widely available our graduates are learning how to make their own and provide some for the community.”
“We realise that the coming weeks will be tense as we expect the spread of Coronavirus to be more visible to us all. We are beginning to take the necessary precautions though it is difficult in an environment that has little.”
The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart are always proud to support the wonderful work done by the Loreto Sisters for the young women of South Sudan.
For more photographs and further information about Loreto Rumbek, visit their website or visit their Facebook page.
You can also find out more about how MSC Missions work with Loreto Rumbek – and how you can help to make a difference to the young women of South Sudan.
HELP US TO TRANSFORM LIVES IN SOUTH SUDAN
Apr 29, 2020
South Sudanese ladies carrying water containers
The risk of the pandemic virus in a developing country like South Sudan is very high as they have very poor medical facilities and are steeped in traditions that involve the handshake. It represents peace and respect among their communities and proves to be difficult to avoid , all be it necessary to contain the spread of the virus.
Creating awareness to the community about Coronavirus becomes an urgent need as most of the people are illiterate and they are not informed of what is happening around the world, therefore proper orientation and health education for preventive measures are required.
On 31st March, 2020, nine former interns returned to Loreto. Among the group are five trainee nurses, two medical students and two development students. All have returned from their various learning institutes to help prepare for the Coronavirus in the Mary Ward Primary Health Care Center (LPHCC).
Each week the group divides and enters into the community trying to educate them on the Coronavirus disease, how it can be transmitted and how to try to prevent it happening in the area. These graduates are finding this extremely difficult as many villages are constructed in a way that social distancing is not possible. Many of the families have to share beds, bedding materials and all household utensils.
They are also finding it difficult to guide the males section of the community but they are hoping to change this as it is vital that the community works as a whole to protect themselves against this virus.
“Over the last 3 weeks, the medical team has been able to outreach to different 49 water points, boreholes training total number of 3,010 people, mostly women.
The medical team is motivated by the willingness of the community members to take up the preventive measures in controlling the spread of the virus and they look forward to targeting a bigger group in the next few weeks.”
Information via www.loretorumbek.ie
HELP US TO TRANSFORM LIVES IN SOUTH SUDAN
Mar 6, 2020
On February 19th, the American Ambassador to South Sudan, Mr. Thomas Hushek visited the Loreto school in Rombeck that is run by the Loreto sisters and commended them for their efforts in keeping the young Sudanese girls in school. The school has been giving support to the young girls by providing a secure learning environment without the threat of child marriage. The drop out rate for girls and young women in school is very high in Sudan and the director Sr Orla Tracey has done magnificent work in her efforts to provide education and support for the people of South Sudan.
The US department of state awarded Sr. Orla Tracey, Loreto Rumbeck’s director an international women of courage award for her work in in March last year, an annual honor that recognizes women who have shown exceptional courage and leadership in advocating for peace, justice, human rights, gender equality and women’s empowerment.
During his visit the American ambassador was shown all the various projects run by the Loreto Sisters including the recently launched clinic and malnutrition programme established for mothers and babies, a primary school school and a girls’ secondary school with boarding facilities in the country’s Catholic Diocese of Rumbek.
In Mr Hushek speech, he encouraged the girls to be courageous in the face of discrimination against women in their country and revealed that Loreto has a nice model for young girls in South Sudan because the girls are taught to be united from various communities and that their main benefit from the school as the freedom to access education. “A year ago, Sr. Orla was nominated for an award and won on behalf of the entire school. I have been wanting to come up here ever since because of the work that is going on here especially focusing on girls’ education,” the U.S. national said, “Going forward, this is the key to development and peace for the country.”
An intern from the The Mary Ward Primary Health Care Clinic that was lauched in February said “In South Sudan, healthcare providers continue to deal with the challenge of health care versus traditional doctors. Having been enlightened through my internship at this clinic, I feel there is a need for more people in South Sudan to access health education”.
Other students spoke about the challenge of girl child education and how school has given them the chance to grow and to become people who can help their respective families ,more spoke about the issue of inter clan conflicts and how boarding in Loreto has allowed them build bridges between fellow students of different tribes in the classroom regardless of ethnic differences.
Addressing the audience that included the U.S. diplomat, teachers and students, Sr. Orla acknowledged the struggles that South Sudanese girls who choose to go to school face and the odds they have overcome saying, “We have great hopes and I know the girls are very ambitious for the country of South Sudan.”
“It is not easy for the girls in this country to be in school , but they are strong, courageous, ambitious and peaceful women who are looking for a better South Sudan,” she added.
The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart are always proud to support the wonderful work done by the Loreto Sisters for the young women of South Sudan.
For more photographs and further information about Loreto Rumbek, visit their website or visit their Facebook page.
You can also find out more about how MSC Missions work with Loreto Rumbek – and how you can help to make a difference to the young women of South Sudan.
PLEASE HELP US TO TRANSFORM LIVES IN SOUTH SUDAN
