Movement Spotlight: Myanne James
We don't know where we would be without them. Our community of fundraisers propels entire parts of our mission to empower Sudanese changemakers forwards. From our ongoing campaigns to events, these amazing individuals ask their friends and family to pitch into their goals, all for the education and healthcare programs we support in Sudan.
We've had more than 900 supporters fundraise with us the past few years. One of them is Myanne James. She is a senior at Hutchison School here in Memphis, TN. I first met Myanne in April 2018 when she did a career shadow day with me. She says:
I first got involved with Operation Broken Silence as a sophomore when I was looking for someone to shadow for my school’s upcoming career shadow day. A faculty member suggested I shadow someone at this organization since they knew I wanted to pursue a career in International Relations. I spent a morning talking with Mark about the nonprofit and its mission. I have continued to stay involved by starting a fundraising team in my civic engagement club and volunteering at our annual 5k.
What stands out most to me about Operation Broken Silence’s mission is that we are empowering the Sudanese through storytelling to enlighten the rest of the world on the atrocities in Sudan. The more people that are informed about the horrors, the more people there are to stand up and help the Sudanese put an end to those horrors.
Often times, organizations will provide humanitarian aid to people for a short while, but then, once the aid is gone, the people are still left in bad shape. Operation Broken Silence is making sure the Sudanese can stand on their own by listening to what the Sudanese say they need and telling the stories of the refugees, which is what makes this nonprofit so different from others.
Photo: Myanne James (right) with friends.
Myanne has been fundraising with some of her friends for over a year. They've now raised over $600 for the Endure Primary and Renewal High Schools in Yida Refugee Camp! Since she has been so successful as one of our top fundraisers, I asked her if she has any words of encouragement for others who are considering getting involved like she is. Myanne says:
I have always enjoyed volunteering in my own community. When I was asked if I wanted to fundraise for the schools in the Yida Refugee Camp, my answer was immediately "yes" because I know how valuable education is and believe knowledge is one of the most powerful tools a person can have. No one should be deprived of education. I became a fundraiser because I believe educating the next generation of Sudanese people will empower them and allow them to become reformers and improve their own community.
I recommend setting a goal and timeframe for yourself and even finding a person or two to keep you on track, and then they may even want to fundraise with you! Most importantly, remember any donation made helps pay for teachers’ salaries, basic school supplies, classrooms, and much more, and those donations (no matter the size) are not only changing the lives of the people in Yida right now, but any who follow after them!
Over the years, we've had fundraisers just like Myanne support teachers and students in Yida. Many of them can be found across the United States. I know that the teachers and students at the schools we support in Yida Refugee Camp are grateful for the commitment from each of them, including Myanne.
The Sudanese people are bringing an end to the violent governance that has plagued their country for decades. One of the many ways Operation Broken Silence is helping them do that is by funding the Endure Primary and Renewal High Schools in Yida Refugee Camp, where thousands of Sudanese children don't have access to a quality education.
A fantastic way you can support the 24 Sudanese teachers and nearly 1,100 students at these two incredible schools is to become a fundraiser, just like Myanne. December is actually one of the best months of the year to raise $100 for the school!
Both schools are funded entirely by our fundraisers and givers. That means every single person getting involved counts. The more the merrier! Have questions before starting a fundraising page? Reach out at info@operationbrokensilence.org
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