Jombo Primary School

Missions Work Area received one percent of your contribution to our Growing Together pledge drive. Those funds, $20,000, along with $5,000 of your Easter Offering, have been sent to build an entire school in South Sudan! The school is in Jombo, Yei County. The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) has conveyed the following to us from the ground in Sudan:

"The Jombo people can not thank you enough for this gesture. This world is full of happy people - and you have contributed to their joy at Jombo. The building and community training you are providing through your gift will reach many generations."

Background

For the past 21 years, Sudan has experienced political and military turmoil with conflict ensuing between the Muslim North and the mostly Christian South. The impact of the war displaced roughly 4 million people as refugees or Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), and caused the death of approximately 2 million people. The signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in January 2005 generated by the concerted efforts by various governments, primarily the U.S. Government, paved the way for restored peace and stability in South Sudan, commencing the repatriation of approximately 4 million returnees, of whom approximately 186,000 returnees in Greater Yei, through spontaneous and organized repatriation.

The prolonged war depleted the social services, material, financial and human resources needed to appropriately respond to the repatriation and re-integration needs of returnees in South Sudan, without which returning refugees will face extreme challenges rebuilding their communities. The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is implementing a series of innovative and integrated education activities aimed at creating an enabling learning environment in primary schools of Yei, Morobo and Lainya Counties in Central Equatorial State, South Sudan. UMCOR envisages the proposed activiites will strengthen repatriation and reintegration efforts by improving the learning enviornment and increasing pupil enrollment and retention. UMCOR is also working with the local Parents Teachers' Associations (PTAs) to improve their management skill. This project compliments the larger BPRM grant through the construction of a classroom block at Jombo School.

Project Status

Approach

This is a joint project. UMCOR, through a donation of First United Methodist Church, Downers Grove, would provide funding. Inclusive in the funding from UMCOR is payment for a team of specialized workforce to construct the school. The community would provide sand, stones, bricks and labor needed to accomplish the task. The community did not have bricks because they had just used up their bricks for building the church and another school. For this reason, the community mobilized internal funds by taxing each resident, made campaign in Juba and outside the country (Kenya and Uganda) for support from other people from Jombo to contribute. Most of the cash raised came from outside sources. Perhaps, this is one of the most significant contributions that UMCOR has made in Yei by working with communities and helping them to help themselves; and looking within for solutions.

Progress Report

Funding was approved and disbursed to the field in March 2008. Community mobilization for the construction of the school started earlier in February 2008. Training of the PTA was also conducted by UMCOR. A total of 62 PTA members were trained; 55 were men and 11 women. Following the training of the PTAs, specific responsibilities were identified and allocated to both UMCOR and the local community. All the project contributions were also quantified. The community contributed about $15,000 in-kind.

As at the end of May 2008, the school building reached wall plate level. Roofind, plastering, fixing doors and windows and furnishing the school with school desks still remain to be accomplished. All the required 50 school desks were being made at Yei Vocational Training Center. The new school block was scheduled to be handed over to the community by the end of July. Issues Encountered High inflation, political problems in the neighboring country (Kenya) and high fuel prices compounded price increases for the project materials. The US$25,000 would not be enough to complete the school. Yei is dependant on both Kenya and Uganda for supplies and equipment. As estimated additional ammount of US$7,300 is needed to finish the project.

Impact

The project is expected to increase access to education opportunities by improving the learning environment. This would ultimately increase pupil enrollment, especially of girls.

Additional In-Kind Material Resources

As stated earlier, the community agreed to provide bricks, river and building sand, hard core and labor.

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