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Southern Sudan Education Project Update | |
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June 2006 Trip to Southern Sudan: After a couple years of fund raising, tribal diplomacy, construction planning, and logistical coordination, the Southern Sudan Education Project began the construction of a new school in Southern Sudan this year. The trip included registering the River Nile Institute as an NGO within Sudan, beginning construction of a school using the Monolithic Dome construction process, and installing an automatic grain mill. Navigating the legal requirements in Sudan and the U.S. required both patience and diplomacy. Kristy Swapp and Abraham Keech were able to navigate the system though it involved trips back and forth between Juba Sudan, Kenya, and Uganda to achieve the results. The project was also greatly aided by Hamed Ehsani of the United Religions Initiative after funds were blocked by a German Bank who assumed any funds going to Uganda might be for terrorism. David and ken Randle of Utah URI were able to work with the banks and U.S. State Department to unfreeze the funds so that they could be received in Kenya by Hamed. Once the documents and funds were in order the project proceeded with the process of negotiating with contractors in Kenya, Sudan and Uganda. Then began the drive to Sudan. The trip was interrupted with a road out of service so a detour of a two day journey with ten tons of construction supplies and 35 people took the supplies up the Nile river to then be unloaded and reloaded on another truck to finish the journey. By this time with the delays from the German bank, the impassable roads, etc. the rainy season had come. For this reason the construction was not complete but all the supplies are now in place. Thanks to a contribution from the high school students at Judge Memorial High School an automated grain mill has been contributed as a bonus to this project. The High School students through their own fund raisers raised $12,000 to purchase the automated grain mill. The automated grain mill will free up the necessary time so that girls will now be able to attend the new school where before without the mill it was doubtful they would have time. The automated mill is projected to be installed in January 2007. The 9 classroom School construction is projected to be built in February 2007 though preliminary construction has already begun. Future goals for the project include installing a submersible water pump and water treatment system, raising funds to furnish the school building, and ship the school supplies that have already been gathered for the project. |
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