OBBO - SOUTH SUDAN
OBBO - SOUTH SUDAN
Many families struggle to survive. Without any medical facilities, schools, or transport, children have remained uneducated. Men have lost hope, many mothers have died in childbirth, and many children have died of curable illnesses. AAI is very privileged to lend these wonderful people a hand in rebuilding, not only infrastructure but also hope and love and a future for their children.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Many families struggle to survive. Without any medical facilities, schools, or transport, children have remained uneducated. Men have lost hope, many mothers have died in childbirth, and many children have died of curable illnesses. AAI is very privileged to lend these wonderful people a hand in rebuilding, not only infrastructure but also hope and love and a future for their children.
About 500 acres of land was donated by the local chief, Jildo Odoch for Community Development.
Just a few years ago the Directors of African Action met a young couple who had moved to Australia from South Sudan. Through the developing friendship, it was found that this couple was committed to finding a way to assist those of their community in Obbo, South Sudan.
Obbo is reached by road over the Northern Border of Uganda via the town of Kitgum. The community suffered the ravages of war for 22 years until nothing of their former life was left and all had to flee on foot into neighbouring nations to survive.
After achieving independence, many South Sudanese returned to their former home regions to re-establish their communities and rebuild their tribal lands. All former developments and all established infrastructure were gone.
All families have supported themselves through hard work on the land to produce crops with which to feed themselves and their families and hopefully some to sell at local markets. The local stream, which dries up for three months of the year, was their only source of water. Lack of clean water and disease has taken a heavy toll.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT - CLEAN WATER
AAI worked alongside the Chief and local leaders in Obbo to drill a borehole to provide safe and reliable water for the community.
Describe your image
Describe your image
Describe your image
Describe your image
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT - MULTI PURPOSE BUILDING
The Second Step was to build a permanent meeting place where the people could come together to plan the way forward. This has been provided through the building of a large ‘Multi-Purpose Building’ with rooms for the harvested maize to be stored, for community meetings and Tractor/tool storage. Amazingly this is the first large permanent building in the district for over twenty-five years.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT - AGRICULTURE
From this the next step was taken to clear a few acres at a time, uprooting scrubby trees and weeds with mattocks and muscle of local workers and leaders!! Four oxen have been bought to help with the plowing of the land. This has allowed an increasing area each year in which crops of maize are grown for local consumption and for sale.
The development of agriculture raises finance for community works and creates paid work for local people. Maize is grown to supplement the children’s food needs during school terms.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT - EDUCATION.
The provision of educational opportunities for both adults and children is essential.
The Primary School has eight classrooms. Currently, there are 248 children and eleven staff members, many of whom live on site. The school is self-funding through its fee structure regarding wages, administration, and running costs.
FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS
-
MEDICAL FACILITIES
-
AGRICULTURE
-
SCHOOL KITCHEN
-
SCHOOL TOILETS
The next stage in Community Development is to build a Medical Facility at Obbo. Many, mostly children, elderly and women die from preventable and curable diseases such as water borne diseases, air borne diseases, malaria, and many others. The suicide rate and maternal mortality rate are extremely high needing medical intervention.
The land is already purchased and detailed plans drawn up for the Medical Facility.
In Obbo, South Sudan, increasing our cropping potential is critical for the long term stability of the growing school community. This also involves improvements to the kitchen for increased food distribution and hygiene, plus further expansion of toilets.
All such works are tax deductible within Sth Sudan.