A Drink of Life

Saving Communities by Building Clean Water Wells

Clean water changes everything.

More than half the population of South Sudan has no clean water available to them. The water they drink, wash in, and cook with is often filthy. It may be contaminated with bacteria, animal feces, or parasites that lead to deadly diseases like cholera, typhoid, dysentery, guinea worm, and even polio.

Waterborne disease is so prevalent in South Sudan that it’s a leading killer of children under the age of 15.

Women and girls are victimized in further ways by a lack of available water. Often tasked with trekking for miles in search of water for their households, girls are vulnerable to assault on these lengthy journeys alone.

Dehydration is especially devastating to younger children. Desperate parents give their little ones dirty water if it’s the only choice between drinking that or nothing, which invariably leads to illness or worse.

With the support of our donors and partners, Sudan Relief Fund has been fighting to bring clean water to communities suffering without it. In 2024, we were able to drill more than 24 water wells across South Sudan. The impact one well makes in a community is far greater than most can imagine. Consider some of these incredible benefits: 

• stops the spread of deadly waterborne disease
  
• spares women and girls from dangerous journeys to fetch water alone
  
• helps mothers experience healthier pregnancies, give birth to healthier babies, and reduce infant mortality
  
• allows girls time to attend school
  
• enhances sanitation for bathing, washing clothes and dishes
  
• empowers healthy adults to grow crops, raise livestock, and work to support their families.

These are just some of the ways a community is transformed by the presence of clean water, a resource much of the developed world takes for granted. And the benefits one well provides last for decades, extending to subsequent generations.

Recently our supporters helped us successfully install a much needed well for a community in Ave Maria parish, where more than 600 internally displaced people took refuge after being forced to flee their homes due to violent warfare and conflict.

For too long these displaced families were forced to rely on murky, unsafe water for drinking and cooking. Now, thanks to your support, they finally have clean water.

It was a joyful moment for the whole community when the well was completed. A ceremony was held to celebrate the occasion, and a special blessing was given over the new well. The scene was beautiful, and joy filled the air as over 600 people danced, sang, prayed, and gave thanks for the clean water they now had.

That’s the difference clean water makes. It saves lives and transforms entire communities. Water unites all of humanity in our dependence on it. Thank you for helping us bring this vital resource to people in need, like these families in Ave Maria parish and many others.

These stories of lives saved are possible thanks to our generous donors who support efforts like these to build water wells and bring clean water to people without it. Thank you for partnering with us to transform lives and make healthier futures possible.

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Gabrielle Uku

“Through you, God’s love reaches children in difficulty and in need”

Christian Brothers School Turns Around a Young Girl’s Life

Gabrielle Uku is fourteen years old, but she’s already lived through a life of burdens no child should have to bear.

When she was nine years old, she lost her mother who was killed in an ambush during civil war. Gabrielle survived to live with her father and grandmother. But shortly thereafter, Gabrielle’s father became very ill.

Young Gabrielle had the responsibility of looking out for their home, their meals, and caring for her father who grew sicker and sicker. Even worse, during that same time, her grandmother also became ill. Soon Gabrielle, not even a teenager, was struggling to hold down all the responsibilities and take care of her family by herself.

While enduring these difficulties, she had been trying to stay in school. She knew education was very important for her if she hoped to have a better future. “I always had to take care of my weak father and also my sick grandmother while also going to school,” she recalls.

But the demands at home were increasing, as the health of her only surviving family members continued to decline. Eventually the struggles of caring for everyone and handling the full load of work at home became too consuming. Gabrielle missed two entire terms of school, and she believed her chance to go back was out of reach.

But the leaders of Our Lady of Assumption Vocational School in Rimenze felt differently. Someone shared Gabrielle’s story with the school administrators, and soon a representative reached out to her. The meeting came at a critical time for Gabrielle.

“It was at this time that I was introduced to the Brothers of Christian Instruction,” says Gabrielle, “who welcomed me and supported me to return to school.”

She soon discovered that, “because of the support the Christian Brothers receive from Sudan Relief Fund, I would be able to remain in school, acquire vocational skills, and be able to fend for myself and my surviving family.” It seemed too much to hope for. But it slowly sunk in for Gabrielle that this opportunity was real.

Thanks to the program supported by Sudan Relief Fund donors, Gabrielle received a scholarship to attend the school. She received daily encouragement academically, helping her not to give up on her educational goals. She also benefited from spiritual support to encourage her in the difficult time she was going through with her family.

Beyond academics, the Brothers of Christian Instruction strive to teach character and build up the whole person, so students are equipped with skills to navigate all aspects of life. Students have described their teachers as being “more like counselors” who spur them on to success both occupationally and spiritually.

Gabrielle is currently in her second year of high school. And she no longer feels alone. Her life is on a completely different trajectory, and she couldn’t be more grateful.

“I now sense great warmth from the community and continue to study even harder, and I will not disappoint those who gave me love and hope,” Gabrielle assures. To the supporters of Sudan Relief Fund she says, “Their kindness and yours mean a lot to me, as great as a mountain. The only thing I can do to reward your kindness is to study hard.”

Gabrielle still works hard to manage her school and home life. But now she is filled with hope. And her life is blessed by the support of people she knows genuinely care about her future. Filled with gratitude, she says to her benefactors, “Thank you, and I wish you a more peaceful and happier life forever. Through you, God’s love reaches those children who are in difficulties and in need.”

These stories of lives saved are possible thanks to our generous and compassionate donors who support programs that rescue children in distress. Thank you for partnering with us to transform lives and make brighter futures possible for girls like Gabrielle. 

Would you like to pray for us? Sign up for our email prayer group to receive weekly emails sharing important needs to pray for. You’ll join a faith community around the globe praying to bring hope and help to suffering people in a forgotten part of the world. Click here to find out more.

Planting a Better Future

Breaking Free from Poverty and Crime

Once Grace and her friend Donaté were among the hopeless youth of western rural South Sudan – a place where most schools don’t go beyond sixth grade, and children grow up with little hope for further education or career prospects. 

Sadly, some youth growing up in areas that offer little opportunity like the remote region of Wau, come to believe they have nothing good ahead of them. As a result, some resort to joining gangs – or something even worse known as charcoal burning, a form of suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning.

The Franciscan Sisters partner with Sudan Relief Fund in Wau to minister to troubled youth. The Sisters were able to identify Grace and Donaté as “at-risk youth” – at risk of being preyed upon by organized crime gangs, who view young recruits as disposable tools that are easily replaceable. The gangs offer a place to “belong,” a “family” of sorts that the boy or girl lacks, and a twisted sense of purpose. 

But thanks to a program administered by the sisters, now Grace and Donaté are on a different path. They are small business owners managing their own agricultural plots of land. 

With a bit of instruction and plenty of encouragement, the youth were given the opportunity to till, plant, and tend their plot. From dry ground to fertile field, both teens just finished producing their first successful harvest to sell at the local market.

Not only does an accomplishment like this produce a sense of pride, but Grace and Donaté now have a means to support themselves, and something of their own to take care of – a powerful tool to provide tangible hope and offset the allure of criminal gangs. 

This is an example of one of the many humanitarian programs directed by the Franciscan Sisters in Wau – programs that are saving lives here every day. Together with your partnership and the diligence of the Franciscan Sisters, we are transforming lives like Grace and Donaté and many others in the remote reaches of Wau – reaching out to the forgotten, the cast aside, the abandoned, and the impoverished. 

The results are not only the work of the Sisters, but the gracious commitment of everyone involved in supporting Sudan Relief Fund’s mission.

Your support makes it possible to offer programs that impact lives. Thank you for partnering with us to save lives and foster brighter futures for struggling children and communities.

Would you like to pray for us? Sign up for our email prayer group to receive weekly emails sharing important needs to pray for. You’ll join a faith community around the globe praying to bring hope and help to suffering people in a forgotten part of the world. Click here to find out more.

Families in Yambio

Saving Lives through Health and Hope

Having enough food to eat, washing with soap, going to school – these are simple privileges people living in the developed world take for granted. But when you’re without them, everything changes.

Sickness, poverty, and illiteracy can mean a lifelong sentence to suffering and need. We’re committed to supporting programs that stop the insidious cycle of poverty, and empower people to become self-sustaining, even contributing, members of their communities.

Stopping Hunger in Yambio

We work through a local partner, Star Support Group, to tackle these challenges through a variety of assistance programs that offer both immediate intervention and lay foundations for future self-sufficiency.

In Yambio, we reached out to a community of malnourished families with a targeted nutrition program. Strong parents are able to gainfully work, and healthy children can go to school. But in the dry season that sometimes lasts for months, the parched land makes growing crops nearly impossible. Families have to rely on stores they’ve saved up, and often go for days without eating to ration the little they have.

We gave malnourished families essential food supplements including rice, beans, sugar, and salt, along with basic hygiene items like soap, to help prevent sickness. It wasn’t long before families showed a marked improvement in their nutrition status and their overall well-being.

One mother of four expressed her gratitude, saying, “The food and soap came at just the right time. We were struggling, and this support made a big difference. My children are healthier and our home is clean, which gives me great peace of mind.” A few basic grocery items and some soap made a world of difference to this community.

Helping Orphans to Dream Big

In South Sudan, orphans and poor children often have no chance to go to school. This chains them to a future of poverty and limited achievement. We support orphans and vulnerable children by providing tuition, uniforms, and school supplies, so they can receive the gift of education. Schooling opens up a future of opportunity.

In Yambio, 88 children received school uniforms, and 130 children were given school supplies and books. For many of these children, it was the first time they ever received such support and entered a classroom. School fees were provided for 154 orphans and children in need, including 11 students pursuing higher education – something no orphan in South Sudan could otherwise dream of accomplishing. 

Together we are changing the trajectory of these children’s lives, giving them a new outlook for their future – one that is filled with opportunity and hope. Orphans who go on to complete higher education often return to their home areas to share their skills and give back to their communities. It is then we see the culmination of these vital assistance programs coming full circle: changing lives, so they can help change others.

These stories of lives saved are made possible by the generous and compassionate support of Sudan Relief Fund’s donor community. Thank you for transforming the futures of vulnerable families and children.

Would you like to pray for us? Sign up for our email prayer group to receive weekly emails sharing important needs to pray for. You’ll join a faith community around the globe praying to bring hope and help to suffering people in a forgotten part of the world. Click here to find out more.

Zakia

When A Dream Keeps You Alive

From Refugee to College Grad

Sometimes it’s not a hero who saves your life. Not a skilled doctor, or a much-needed medicine, but a dream that keeps you going. A dream you hang on to that prevents you from giving up, despite the odds.

For young Zakia John Idriss, it was her dream of education that kept her alive during her time in the refugee camps.

From her early years growing up in the Nuba Mountains, Zakia loved school. She excelled in elementary, and her sights were set on being part of the minority population of girls who make it to secondary school in this part of the world. Recognizing her academic talent, Zakia’s father and family also supported her dream.

But that dream was shattered when war came. All the schools were closed. Zakia’s extended family scattered in different directions as they fled. She found herself in the Yida refugee camp in northern South Sudan. Life became completely unfamiliar in this strange and despondent place.

Zakia marshaled her courage and did what she was good at – she learned new skills. With training she received from the NGO at her refugee camp, she became a nursing assistant at Yida. With plenty of work at the sprawling camp, Zakia worked long hours. It kept her mind busy and away from the edge of despair. She even earned some money working for the NGO, which she saved diligently.

Then one day Zakia learned of a refugee camp in Kenya where some people lived while also attending secondary school. She saved enough money to move to Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya, where she dared to hope once again that her dream of finishing high school might still be possible.

Someone else recognized Zakia’s academic ability at Kakuma, and Zakia received a scholarship to enroll in a boarding school – the Morneau Shappell Girls’ Secondary School in Kakuma Arid Zone, Kenya. She found the new environment both challenging and rewarding. Compared to other students, Zakia said she felt like an orphan, with barely any support to meet even her basic needs. But she was working toward her dream of completing high school, and that kept her going.

In 2017, Zakia completed her Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE). Though no family members were there to cheer her accomplishment when her certificate was awarded, Zakia knew they would be proud of her. Despite incredible setbacks, she had finished high school. It was an overwhelming moment for her.

In 2021, Zakia was blessed with the opportunity to attend the Solidarity Teachers Training College (STTC) in Yambio, a Sudan Relief Fund sponsored college offering two-year teacher training certificates that qualify graduates to teach primary school. The college is sponsored as a means to promote education in South Sudan and supply the much-needed demand for qualified teachers across the country.

Zakia recalls gaining a wealth of knowledge and experience studying at STTC, and that living in the dormitories with students from other tribes across South Sudan was culturally enriching. At one point she was teaching in classrooms with over 120 students at a time, which she considered “one of her most memorable experiences.”

After two years she proudly received her Certificate in Primary Education from the University of Juba through the STTC. “Becoming a qualified primary teacher filled me with immense pride,” she shared.

Each year the STTC selects a handful of students to receive scholarships for further college education, and Zakia was accepted for a Bachelor’s Degree program at the UK Open University. “This was the greatest gift of my life,” she recalls. She will earn a Bachelor’s of Science in Environmental Science alongside her primary school teaching certificate. After completing her degree program in December of 2024, Zakia hopes to return to Nuba to visit her family, whom she hasn’t seen in years. 

“I am deeply grateful to Solidarity Teacher Training College for providing me with education. I owe a great debt of gratitude to the STTC administration, teachers, and religious sisters and brothers from different international congregations who have inspired and supported me over the last four years, giving me a new lease on life,” said Zakia.

Going far beyond she ever thought she would in her dream to finish high school, the college graduate now has a new goal in life. She hopes to open up a school in Nuba for poor children, who wouldn’t otherwise have the chance to get an education.

These stories of Lives Saved are made possible by donors and supporters of Sudan Relief Fund, whose contributions make it possible to support schools like the Solidarity Teacher Training College and scholarships for girls to attend school. Thank you for transforming lives and giving a new future to girls like Zakia.

Would you like to pray for us? Sign up for our email prayer group to receive weekly emails sharing important needs to pray for. You’ll join a faith community around the globe praying to bring hope and help to suffering people in a forgotten part of the world. Click here to find out more.