A Steering Committee was formed to move the project forward.  Its members worked with energy and enthusiasm in research and recruitment until they were assured of having in Sudan itself the oversight of experienced missionary institute.  The leading role for health has been assumed by the Comboni Missionary Sisters who will be responsible specifically for the Health Training Institute and the Brothers of the Christian Schools (de la Salle) have  responsibility for education, specifically to create a Teacher Training College using a distance learning model.  

Considerable time and many meetings resulted in the formation of the General Assembly and the Board of Governors.

The General Assembly, which is the decision making body, elected the Board of Governors. The General Assembly has as members -

The mandate given to the Board of Governors is to evaluate the project according to “facts and figures” presented to them and to be responsible for shaping the future direction of the project.  

Fifty nine Congregations made a direct commitment to the project with personnel and/or money. These Congregations participated at the 1st General Assembly which took place in December 2007, and elected a Board of Governors with a one year mandate: President  Sr. Maureen McBride RNDN, Superior General, Fr. Josep Abella Superior General of CMF, vice-President.  The members elected for the Executive Committee were Sr. Roxanne Schares SSND, and Bro. Amilcare Boccuccia FSC.   The superiors general of both leading Congregations Sister Adele Brambilla CMS , and Brother Alvaro Rodriguez Echeverria. FSC. are also members of the Board.

 Moving Forward

The implementation of the project started at the beginning of 2008. The most relevant steps planned for up to now are:  

Ø  An assessment of the existing structures on various sites to be carried out, and an estimate drawn up for the proposed structures in Southern Sudan ;  

Ø  In February 2008 the first group, three De la Salle Brothers and a Salesian Sister, went to Malakal for the Teacher Training programme. In April they started English courses for 75 teachers already in service, and for radio personnel. At this moment they are also working, together with a few experts from the place, at the definition of the whole educational project.

Ø  In February, 2008 Sr. Cathy Arata SSND, a member of the original Steering Committee and one of the delegates who made up the first fact finding delegation, established herself in Juba as Coordinator of the project in Sudan.  She supports the group in Malakal and assures the connection with the Southtern Catholic Bishops Sudan (SCBS) and the Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS).  

Ø  Two Sisters, SSpS, are in Uganda in a Comboni Hospital to gain some experience of working in Africa . In September they will move to Wau as part of the community that will run the health programme.  

Ø  A Comboni Sister with long experience of working in Southern Sudan , is in Wau to follow the bureaucratic process. She was able to clarify to the Government that the Health Training Institute ( HTI ) belongs to the Church.  

Ø  In April Sr. Patricia Cordwell MFIC reached Gidel in the Nuba Mountains where she worked in the emergency department of the diocesan hospital.  She relocated to Wau in September where she is part of the Wau community.  

Ø  The staff quarters for the Teacher Training Centre ( TTC ) in Malakal is under construction. The restructuring of the old Comboni community house in Rimense (Yambio) has begun.  

Ø  In August five RNDM Sisters will open a community there. They will work in connection with Malakal in the TTC , and offer health and pastoral services.  

Ø  In September a group of 6 Sisters started living together in Wau. Their aim is to prepare the health training programme.

Before the end of the year it is hoped that at least 17 new missionaries; 4 in Malakal, 5 in Rimense, 6 in Wau and 2 in Juba , will be working in Southern Sudan .

Looking into the future

The programme is being be launched by qualified, but mainly expatriate personnel; however one of the first priorities is to start immediately to prepare local people who will in time assume full responsibility. The funding of a local staff training programme is an integral part of the project. Local Religious Congregations have been asked for candidates for training and two have responded positively.  Participants in this programme must sign a contract which commits them to a five year period of service in Sudan in the education or health programme.

Funding of the Project

Congregations have already made contributions and a fund raising committee is preparing the total project proposal for submission to government and non-government organisations requesting funding from the end of November, 2008.

It is envisaged that the project in time will be handed over to the local Church. This requires that the size of the project is proportional to the funds available to run it through this endowment fund relying totally on the contributions from Religious Institutes.   Many Institutes have already expressed interest and some have responded by offering donations straight away.   It is clear that the extent and size of this inter-Congregational project will depend on the possibility of all involved to face the ongoing financial implications.   It is hoped that this collaborative effort will be a source of new life for our brothers and Sisters in Southern Sudan .

(Reference:  Letter from the President of the Board to members of USG and UISG)