South Sudan

Supporting the local community

Community Healthcare

We support the Paediatric Ward at the St Therese Hospital to provide urgent medical care to mothers and children.

The Comboni Primary School

IRT supports the teachers salaries and provides essential school supplies for over 300 children at the Comboni Primary School.

The Rainbow HIV/Aids Project

Our HIV Rainbow project provides short-term aid and long-term care to for young children and adults infected with HIV in Nzara.

The Situation

In 2011, South Sudan gained independence from Sudan, ending Africa’s longest running civil war. However, the peace deal did not bring an end to the conflict and South Sudan remains in a serious humanitarian crisis. Despite multiple ceasefires, violence that started in 2013 between President Salva Kiir and ex-Vice president Riek Machar, of the Dinka and Neur tribes respectively, continues today. The hope in the transitional government achieving peace is dwindling as it continues to clash with the opposition, with many innocent civilians in the middle of the crossfire.

12.1 million: Estimated population of South Sudan
8.3 million: Number of people in need of humanitarian assistance
2 million: Number of international displaced people
2.3 million: South Sudanese Refugees in neighbouring countries
10,000: Children who are registered as unaccompanied, separated or missing.
One in Four: children who are malnourished
Four in Five: Individuals remain under the international poverty line.

The St Therese Hosptial

The St Therese, Comboni Mission Hospital in Nzara is run by Sr. Laura and provides healthcare to the local community, people displaced by the growing violence in South Sudan, and refugees from the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The hospital focuses on paediatric care for children under 5, maternity healthcare and people affected by malaria, tuberculosis, leprosy and malnourishment. In the last year, the hospital has opened a new maternity wing, constructed a blood bank and surgical wing, and soon the special ophthalmic clinic will be completed.

South Sudan faces unprecedented challenges owing to the pandemic, rising international fuel and food prices from the war in Ukraine, and three consecutive years of extensive floods. The country has some of the worst inflations rates in the world, making it increasingly difficult for the hospital to afford drugs and equipment. Equally, patients entering the hospital are unable to pay for medical care, therefore, charitable donations are essential in allowing people to access treatment.

Statistics

This Year

Patients treated

patients treated for malaria

Patients given anti-viral medication

The Comboni Primary School

In South Sudan has one of the worst education attendance rates in the world. 70% of children aged between 6-17 years will never go to school, and for those children who start, only 10% will complete their primary education.

International Refugee Trust is trying to reverse these figures by supporting schools across South Sudan, providing financial support for school supplies, paying for teachers’ wages and providing clean water and toilets for the school children. IRT supports over 350 children in the Nzara community, providing them with school uniforms and books. Many children do not go to school because parents cannot afford school supplies and need the children to earn money. By working with the community, IRT teaches parents the importance of education and supports families so they can their children to school.

IRT supports the Comboni Primary School in Nzara, South Sudan. The school teaches over 1,000 children and is one of the best performing schools in the region, ranking first out of all the schools in the Western Equatorial State.

The Rainbow HIV/Aids Project

Prevent mother child transmission
Provide Anti-Viral Treatment
HIV testing
HIV awareness, education and adherence counselling
Trauma healing and therapy
Nutrition programme
Vocational training

Over 1 in 100 girls aged between 15 to 24 are HIV positive, many of whom have been infected by older men. HIV continues to be a public health priority, with an estimated 180,000 people living with HIV and only 18% on treatment. However, there is increasing concern about the increasing trend in the number of new HIV infections with one in every four persons living with HIV knowing their HIV status.

The Comboni Missionary Sisters have created a community for people currently living with HIV/Aids. The project supports people living with HIV and reduces the spread of the virus throughout the community by providing anti-viral treatment and spreading awareness. Last year, the Rainbow team reached 1,647 people, providing them with anti-viral treatment, adherence counselling and therapy. The Rainbow Project works on the ground, within the local socio-economic, ensuring that the community’s needs are met.

The Rainbow Centre provides a safe, friendly, and fun environment for the children, with the goal to boost their self-confidence. Every month, the Rainbow Centre the hosts the Saturday club, where children learn about HIV, can express themselves through arts and crafts, games, sports and music. During these social meetings, the centre also provides food for the children to take home. 350 children are part of the Rainbow community, including 111 who are HIV positive.

A key priority of the Rainbow Project is their nutritional programme, which occurs after school. Most children cannot afford to eat three meals a day and most only live off one. This is detrimental to the health of all the children but for children with HIV it can be deadly. Without food, their anti-viral medication is not effective and they can become critically ill. The programme ensures that all children and mothers receive enough food for their viral load to be supressed.

Statistics

This Year

PLHIV reached

children in the Rainbow Club

mothers given vocational training

Young Mothers enterprise

This year, a 12-tray bakery plant has been constructed where 100 young mothers have been trained to bake bread and cake for the local community. Through their vocational course, many of the mothers have started small enterprises, which has enabled them to pay for their children’s school fees and buy essential items. These women have now become the main suppliers of bread in the county, which has reduced the stigma and discrimination they used to face from society from being HIV-positive.

The boy in the red t-shirt is an orphan. He came to the Rainbow Centre asking to be a bread seller. The Sisters instead took him back to school and are sponsoring his education.

Covid-19 Effects

Throughout the pandemic, the Sisters work was more crucial than ever. HIV compromises immunity, placing people with HIV at high risk of Covid-19. Without the Sisters delivering treatment door to door, people with HIV would have been unable to reach their treatment and would incredibly vulnerable. However, project is struggling to reach everyone in the community. The nutritional programme only has the capacity to reach those who are most vulnerable. Please donate today so more children can be supported.