South Sudan

As we shared a couple months ago, our outreach to Africa is in partnership with the Southern Sudan Healthcare Organization. They are expanding their reach in South Sudan, and we believe this is a God-given opportunity to effectively reach a new part of the world. STTW will distribute shoes at the existing health clinic in Maar as well as at new clinics and medical outposts that get setup. In over 10 years, SSHCO has grown tremendously, expanding capacity and aid services, including maternal healthcare. Now helping roughly 10,000 patients per month, they have truly established themselves as a beacon of hope and relief for the area. Here’s a peek at the core missions and goals of our wonderful, new partner.

SSHCO’s Mission Statement is to provide healthcare services, medical supplies and education to uplift the people of South Sudan and bring hope to where it is lost. The organization was started by two of the “Lost Boys of Sudan”. Together they drive the organization’s vision and message of a safer South Sudan through healthcare and education.
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Since the clinic’s creation in 2008, it has provided new levels of health care to thousands of people for less than $5 a person, helping improve their quality of life. As the newly-formed country progresses, the Southern Sudanese people – 80% of which live in rural areas – need consistent and proper healthcare.

SSHCO enlists support from around the world, yet they also understand that true success will be realized when South Sudanese natives lead their communities by advocating for education, sustainability and ultimately, peace. Natives helping natives is a call to action for nation building by using opportunities as tools for change. SSHCO has FOUR main goals:

1. 1. To continue providing (friendly) healthcare services via their clinic in Maar.
   2. To (effectively) steward a steady flow of funds to ensure patients receive the highest quality healthcare.
   3. To ensure wider access to healthcare across the country by providing resources to South Sudanese individuals hoping to pursue careers in the medical field.
   4. To build clinics focused on maternal healthcare to provide the best future for women and children.

The third partner in our mission recently published an eye-opening, inspirational article describing the very long journey taken by these “Lost Boys” and Jacob Atem, one of SSHCO’s founders. Jacob was also featured in a TedX video, where you can hear him tell more about his own story.

​Again, thank you if you’ve already supported us, please keep us in your hearts and prayers as we continue our mission. We’re so excited about this opportunity to expand our reach to South Sudan!

Health Knows No Boundaries
Bringing health and hope to where it is lost.

With its lifegiving waters of the Nile, fertile terracotta soil, and the potential for oil wealth, South Sudan is well positioned to rebound and flourish on its own. Yet the people desperately need our help. Much can be learned from South Sudan’s heartbreaking circumstances, in trying to pursue peace and reconciliation rather than acting on desires of personal gain and retaliation.

South Sudan, one of the most ethnically-diverse places in the world consisting of over 60 indigenous languages, became an independent nation in 2011. Even after Africa’s longest-running conflict ended with a 2005 peace treaty, that vast diversity combined with the high-poverty rate and magnified by the deep, untapped natural resources has led to an oft-violent political power struggle the last several years. After its independence, fighting reignited in 2013 between the remaining tribes all jockeying to secure a share of the pie in the new government, economy and military. ​Nevertheless, the Southern Sudanese people continue striving towards lasting peace within their borders. US advocates continue helping to further deescalate violence in the region, building on their hard work to facilitate peace between northern and southern Sudanese peoples.

All this turmoil can be traced back to when Sudan achieved its independence from British and Egyptian rule in 1956. For almost 50 years after Sudanese independence, the region was plagued by two civil wars – primarily between the largely Arab and Muslim north and rebels in the mainly Christian south of Sudan – fueling widespread poverty and violence.  Sudan – especially Southern Sudan – “suffered serious neglect, a lack of infrastructural development, and major destruction and displacement.”  The resulting potential for wealth and power in the new country without structure stoked the flames of a long-standing culture of ethnic warfare, slavery and raiding.

Image from BBC YouTube video

Earlier this year, Father James Oyet Latansio described South Sudan to The Guardian as “a nation interrupted”, as civil war broke out only two years after their independence; and to-date has killed more than 400,000 people and driven nearly 4 million people from their homes, breaking up families and disrupting the education of generations. About 7 million people, more than half the population, are now dependent on humanitarian aid for their survival, according to the UN.

​Yet, progress has been made towards civil collaboration and there’s plenty to be hopeful about. In 2015, the government amended the constitutional 10 states to be divided into 28 states largely along ethnic lines, and up to 32 in 2017. Then a new peace deal was made in the fall of 2018.

We not only want to bring shoes and hope to South Sudan, but also help promote the value of a culture of love, friendliness and trust.

Please consider Shoes to the World the next time you’re looking to make a difference in the world with your resources. As always, 100% of your donation will go to shoes for these people in need.

We are excited to announce that Shoes to the World is expanding to another geographical region of the world – Africa! We’ve kicked off a special campaign to fund distributions across South Sudan, the newest country of the world. In order to expand our reach around the globe, we’ve partnered with a couple other organizations and their missions – SSHCO and Bidaya. Please check out the background info below to get introduced to our awesome new partners. They’re a great match for Shoes to the World because at their core, like STTW, their missions are to provide basic necessities to people living in extreme poverty with no access to healthcare or education, and sometimes not even clean drinking water. So, will you help ignite our momentum by partnering with us now for a strong launch?

We’ve created a special mission fund for this outreach in South Sudan. If you feel called to support this campaign, you can donate on Facebook or our website. ​

1. 1. 1. Facebook – *please* donate to the specific fundraiser for South Sudan, not the page’s main donate button.
      2. Website – after you click ‘donate’, please choose the “Special Campaign” option in the dropdown menu on PayPal’s donation portal.

SSHCO, or the Southern Sudan Healthcare Organization, was built with this vision in mind: to bring health and hope to where it was lost. Their primary mission statement is to provide healthcare services, medical supplies and education to uplift the people of South Sudan. SSHCO started a clinic over 10 years ago to combat diseases, including especially malaria, as well as maternal healthcare to help provide the best future for women and their children. Since its creation in 2008, the health clinic has provided new levels of healthcare to the people of Maar and surrounding areas for the first time. The clinic has grown and currently treats up to 3,000 people monthly. STTW will distribute shoes at the existing clinic in Maar as well as at new clinics and medical outposts that get setup.

This all started decades ago after a vicious civil war broke out, when 40,000 young boys were forced to flee their home villages. Jacob Atem (as seen on TedX) and Lual Deng – co-founders of SSHCO – were among those boys. Known as the “Lost Boys of Sudan”, after walking over 1,000 miles tragically only half of the boys survived the brutal journey. Most found temporary refuge in Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya before finding permanent, stable homes in the United States and Australia.

“Health Knows No Boundaries – Bringing health and hope to where it is lost.”   ​

​Bidaya, meaning “the beginning” in Arabic (the lingua franca of South Sudan), is a philanthropic apparel brand working directly with SSHCO to increase awareness and help generate funds. This organization was established by a Marine Veteran and his wife in partnership with Jacob Atem.  They’ve launched a comfortable yet durable, and easily packable line of adventure apparel. They pride themselves on how it can take a thrashing that any weekend warrior throws at it. With every purchase, they’re able to provide medical supplies and education to a new nation that is in desperate need of it.

“High Quality, Deep Purpose isn’t just a motto, it’s the Bidaya way of life.”