December 2018 Endure Primary School Update

In 2015, Operation Broken Silence launched the Endure Campaign, a fundraising movement focused on sponsoring the Endure Primary School in Yida Refugee Camp, South Sudan. This is an update on how your fundraising and giving is leading to real results at this special school. 

Background

People in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan have been living in emergency conditions since June of 2011, when the government of Sudan launched a relentless campaign of terror and death against their communities. The Sudanese government has officially banned all aid and media organizations from the Nuba Mountains in an attempt to cover up it’s war crimes. The deteriorating situation here has become a forgotten conflict for much of the world. Click or tap the map for a visual. 

A fragile ceasefire is currently in effect in the Nuba Mountains, but many expect it not to last. 

Tens of thousands of children have fled the war and genocide in the Nuba Mountains and are sitting in refugee camps where few educational services exist. Dozens of Nuba teachers have been unable to get back to work due to a lack of financial resources. This education crisis is an enormous long-term issue threatening the future of not only the Nuba people, but also all of Sudan.

Building and supporting classrooms, paying teacher salaries, and ensuring that children have access to a quality education is one of our organization's top priorities. You can watch the Endure Campaign video to see what that actually looks like on the ground:

Endure Primary School Update

Beginning in 2015 with the launch of the Endure Campaign, we began supporting four small classrooms in Yida Refugee Camp. Since then and entirely because of your fundraising and giving, this school now has ten classrooms led by twelve Nuba teachers and a principal. Every week they teach more than 700 students who have fled from the Nuba Mountains. Some of these children have lost their parents or been separated from them due to the Sudanese government's war. 

Last update, we brought you information about a bad rainstorm in Yida that severely damaged most of the classrooms at the school. Thankfully no one was hurt, but attendance was temporarily cut by roughly 40% until repairs could be made. That was the bad news. The good news is that operations at the school are already back to normal!

Our Nuba education partner has informed us that all classrooms at the Endure Primary School have been repaired! This includes the new Primary 8 classroom added earlier this year. Here is a small photo slideshow of part of the school. We apologize that the pictures are a lower quality than usual. The camera our education coordinator normally uses was not in Yida when repairs were being wrapped up:

Attendance is already back up to just over 700 students. But your fundraising and giving this year didn't just help repair the school, your efforts also helped to expand things a bit.

A simple fence, which you can see in one of the above photos, has been added around the school property. Tarps are also being added as part of the roofing one classroom at a time, which will help keep maintenance costs down during the rainy season. The school has also added a small sports program that includes a male and female soccer team and a male and female volleyball team. And there is a small student choir that tours around Yida from time to time singing traditional Nuba songs!

The school also now has an unarmed security guard and a cook/cleaner. Both were hired from the local Nuba population in Yida.  

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The school's situation was desperate then, but today it is much improved. Here is a more recent photo from a few years ago when one of our media teams visited:

There is still much to work be done through the Endure Primary School in the coming months and years. While the school is one of the top performing in the area, textbooks remain a primary need at Endure, and every other school in Yida for that matter. Teachers could use some additional training, and chalkboards in roughly half of the classrooms need to be replaced.

Additionally, a curriculum change that occurred a while back transitioned the primary teaching and learning language to English, which means Arabic will have to be reintroduced back in as a seperate series of classes at some point. 

Progress rarely occurs in Sudan overnight; however, becuase of your fundraising and giving the past several years, the Endure Primary School is in a much better place today than it was in 2012 when it was founded. The teachers and students have taken your support seriously and made it what it is today. On behalf of them, our Nuba education partner, and our small staff, thank you for joining us on this journey.

Here are a few ways you can be involved for the remainder of this year and into 2019:

December 2018 Mother of Mercy Hospital Update

In October 2016, Operation Broken Silence launched the Heart of Nuba Campaign alongside of the Take Heart Foundation. This online fundraising movement focuses on supporting Mother of Mercy Hospital in the war-torn Nuba Mountains of Sudan. This is a brief update about the hospital and your progress so far.

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Background

People in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan have been living in emergency conditions since June of 2011, when the government of Sudan launched a relentless campaign of terror and death against their communities. The Sudanese government has officially banned all aid and media organizations from the Nuba Mountains in an attempt to cover up their war crimes. The deteriorating situation here has become a forgotten conflict for much of the world. Click or tap the map for a visual. 

A fragile ceasefire is currently in effect in the Nuba Mountains, but many expect it not to last. 

In the warzone sits Mother of Mercy hospital, the only hospital in the region. This life-saving facility is led by American Dr. Tom Catena and an incredible local Nuba staff. They refuse to leave and do their best to save lives underneath the shadows of government warplanes, sometimes treating over 400 patients a day. Access to basic medical supplies is extremely limited and the hospital is frequently in a financial crisis. The hospital depends entirely on private fundraising and donations to treat the wounded and train the staff.

Heart of Nuba Campaign Update

The Heart of Nuba Campaign is the official online fundraising effort of The Heart of Nuba film, a feature-length documentary about the staff at Mother of Mercy Hospital and the Nuba people. Funds raised through the Heart of Nuba Campaign go to supporting the amazing work being done everyday at the hospital. You can watch this short video to learn more:

Hospital Update

To date, 19 fundraisers and 9 fundraising teams have raised over $43,000 from 175 donors through their fundraising pages for the hospital. The funds you are raising through the campaign are sent to our partner the Take Heart Foundation, which exists to support Mother of Mercy Hospital. Great work!

Dr. Tom recently put out a video message thanking everyone for supporting the hospital. Watch it below:

Here is a recent note from Dr. Tom:

Dear Friend, 

When people think of health problems in Africa, they often focus on the common ones—malaria, HIV, tuberculosis, and other infectious diseases. Most of the effort is rightly geared toward combating these illnesses by ensuring that medicines and vaccines are available. 

However, non-infectious illnesses (known as non-communicable diseases, or NCDs) make up a significant proportion of the global disease burden and include conditions such as cardiovascular disease, cancers, and diabetes. Worldwide, 71% of deaths are due to NCDs, and 75% of those deaths are in low- and middle-income countries such as Sudan. 

Here in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan, we seem to have an inordinately high number of cancer patients with a wide variety of types. In children, we have patients with leukemias, lymphomas, and bone cancers. Adults have cancers of the cervix, uterus, skin, prostate, bone, liver, lung, and soft tissue, in addition to leukemias, lymphomas, and nasopharyngeal (nose and throat) carcinomas. 

The Gidel Mother of Mercy Hospital is the only facility providing cancer treatment for literally a thousand miles. We treat nearly all these patients with some combination of chemotherapy. Many children with Burkitt's lymphoma get a complete cure with chemotherapy. For those who present with advanced, inoperable liver or cervical cancer, we can only offer palliative care. 

You'll be moved by the story of Zainab, a 13-year-old girl with a disfiguring facial tumor that had been growing for months. She was so ashamed of her appearance that she walked around with a scarf covering her face. We took a needle biopsy of the tumor and waited a couple of months for the result as the tumor continued to grow. The result came back as a small round blue cell tumor—a rare tumor with some similarities to the more common Ewing's sarcoma. We started chemotherapy and got dramatic results—not likely to be a cure but at least Zainab can go outside without covering herself. For a couple hundred dollars, we have extended her life and significantly improved her social situation.

Thank you for your support of Gidel Mother of Mercy Hospital and the Nuba people.

Dr. Tom Catena

And there is more exciting news! The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative has just named Dr. Tom as its first chairman. The Initiative works to "raise public consciousness about atrocities occuring around the world and reward those working to address these major issues in a real and substantial manner." From Aurora: 

The Co-Founders of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative have announced Dr. Tom Catena, an American physician and Catholic missionary from Amsterdam, New York has joined the organisation as Chair.

The appointment was announced during the Aurora Dialogues in Berlin. Dr. Catena joins the organization during a period of significant growth and will be responsible for engaging key humanitarian stakeholders, working with global partners and overseeing Aurora’s educational and outreach projects, including the internationally recognised, Aurora Prize.

In May 2017, Dr. Catena was named as the Aurora Prize Laureate for his courageous work in the Nuba Mountains. Since 2008, he has served more than half a million people as the sole surgeon at the Mother of Mercy Hospital, an institution he has been dedicated to since. He has been based in Sudan’s war-ravaged territory for the last decade where humanitarian aid is restricted. Known as “Dr Tom” by locals, he provides treatment for people suffering ailments and war wounds. He will continue his role as Medical Director at the hospital working with a team of doctors.

Our team here at Operation Broken Silence and our friends at Take Heart Foundation want to thank each of you reading this for supporting the hospital in 2018. As we look ahead to 2019, here are a few ways you can remain involved. 

December 2018 Renewal Secondary School Update

In 2018, Operation Broken Silence launched the Stand For Education Campaign, a fundraising movement focused on building the Renewal High School in Yida Refugee Camp, South Sudan. This marks the first update concerning the high school and is about how your fundraising and giving has put plans ahead of schedule. 

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Background

People in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan have been living in emergency conditions since June of 2011, when the government of Sudan launched a relentless campaign of terror and death against their communities. The Sudanese government has officially banned all aid and media organizations from the Nuba Mountains in an attempt to cover up their war crimes. The deteriorating situation here has become a forgotten conflict for much of the world. Click or tap the map for a visual. 

A fragile ceasefire is currently in effect in the Nuba Mountains, but many expect it not to last. 

Tens of thousands of children have fled the war and genocide in the Nuba Mountains and are sitting in refugee camps where not nearly enough educational services exist. Dozens of Nuba teachers have been unable to get back to work due to a lack of financial resources. Those that are working lack basic classroom items. This education crisis is an enormous long-term issue threatening the future of not only the Nuba people, but also all of Sudan.

Building and supporting classrooms, paying teacher salaries, and ensuring that children have access to a free education is one of our organization's top priorities. You can watch the Stand For Education campaign video to see what that actually looks like on the ground:

To date, 91 fundraisers, 232 donors, and 2 monthly recurring donors have worked togetherto fund the startup costs of The Renewal High School. Almost $15,000 has been raised and given already!

Construction on six classrooms, two teacher offices, and one library will begin in January 2019. This will make up the core of the school. More classrooms, a small lab, and one lecture hall are slated to be built between 2020-2022. Classroom walls will be made out of the traditional un-fired bricks that are common throughout Yida. It's nothing glamorous, but it gets the job done. The lecture hall can also be used as a space for teacher and community training needs in the future. 

Materials that cannot be obtained in Yida are currently being procured in Juba and Kampala. This includes a small solar system, a computer and printer, tarps for roofing, cement, teacher guides and teacher textbooks, chalkboards, and more.

The school will be phased into existence, similar to how we have grown and supported the Endure Primary School in Yida. When The Renewal High School opens in 2019, the plan is for most components of the first three grades to be included. The final grade is slated to be added in 2020 as additional classrooms and materials are added. This phased approach also spreads out the fundraising burden on our organization, as well as provides our education coordinator additional time to work out kinks and additional teacher training needs at the school. 

There is certainly a lot of work and long road ahead, but the process of making The Renewal High School a reality is now officially underway. Here are a few ways you can join us on this journey.

Elie Wiesel Act Passes Out Of U.S. Senate

Yesterday, The Elie Wiesel Act was passed out of the United States Senate by Unanimous Consent. This is a moment our organization and 600+ of our supporters in Tennessee helped make possible. Last update, we mentioned that because of your advocacy, the bill was amended and passed out of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

What The Bill Does

S. 1158 is new federal legislation that helps ensure the U.S. government has the tools, training, and funding needed to save lives and promote peace when it becomes apparent that mass atrocity situations are becoming a threat on foreign soil. Specifically, this legislation:

• Affirms that atrocity prevention is in the U.S. national interest;

• Calls on the government to pursue a government-wide strategy to: strengthen U.S. diplomatic, risk analysis/monitoring, early warning, and response capacities around atrocity crimes; improve the use of U.S. foreign assistance to address the root causes of violent conflict; strengthen support to transitional justice mechanisms and local civil society groups in countries at risk of or experiencing mass atrocities; support and strengthen local civil society, including human rights defenders and others working to help prevent and respond to atrocities; promote financial transparency and enhance anti-corruption initiatives as part of addressing causes of conditions that may lead to atrocities; and prioritize preventative diplomacy through unilateral, bilateral, and multilateral mechanisms;

• Requires specialized training for Foreign Service Officers who will be deployed to a country experiencing or at risk of mass atrocities; and

• Mandates annual reporting to Congress of the Executive Branch's efforts to prevent and respond to mass atrocities, provide an assessment of countries and regions at risk of such violence, and provide a report on Foreign Service Officer training.

Additional information about the bill and the full text can be found here. We would like to thank all of you for raising up your voices around this bill, and we would like to thank Senator Corker for his leadership in seeing the Elie Wiesel Act moved through his committee and into the Senate.

S.1158 now heads to the U.S. House of Representatives.

Movement Spotlight: Lauren Berry and Sarah Greenspon

Other than seeing our programs grow and knowing that the work we’re doing is empowering our friends in Sudan, my top two favorite things about Operation Broken Silence are: 

1. Our Mission. Our education program, including the Endure Primary School and soon-to-be Renewal High School in Yida Refugee Camp, Mother or Mercy Hospital, are entirely funded by individual supporters. We receive no major grants for these programs; instead, our AMAZING movement members make these programs possible by fundraising, donating, and giving monthly to the Sudanese-led program they are most passionate about. To me, this really shows what each person is capable of and how we all play a role in furthering our mission!

2. Our Movement. While most of the world is becoming more and more technology based, we’ve decided to spend more time face-to-face with the people who make our work of empowering the Sudanese possible. Every time we have an event, I see people moved by both the atrocities that the Sudanese face, as well as the resilience and hope they have. Every time I am reminded of the fact that being able to feel compassion for people we have never met and crises that we have never lived through is what makes us human. Technology is useful for sharing messages, otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this, but these events and our movement members really move our work forward in a special way.

As the Fundraising Enthusiast here, I love the moments when I really see these two qualities of OBS coming together. This is exactly what happened on September 27, when two of our awesome Eden's Run 5K committee members, Lauren Berry and Sarah Greenspon, decided to host a fundraising party for the Endure Primary School. In just a few hours, they raised $155 and had a great time introducing new supporters to our programs over wine, pizza, and games. Here's what Lauren had to say:

“Sarah and I wanted to raise money for OBS by bringing all of our friends together for a dinner party. We figured that there was no better way to share this mission than by hosting a night for people to ask us questions about the work being done in Sudan, while also raising money for it. There was enough wine and pizza rolls to go around, and we had about 15 of our friends in attendance. All we did was ask that they donate $10, and we provided the food and wine. I think this was a good way for our friends to give back, instead off just donating through a link, (although I’m raising money that way too!) we just wanted to give people another option that they could get something out of as well. We will definitely be hosting something like this again in the future!”

- Lauren Berry, Eden’s Run 5K Committee Member & Fundraising Party Co-host

We love our fundraisers and event hosts so much! We are also excited for this year's #StandForEducation holiday campaign, as well as our annual events including Eden’s Run 5K and the Good People Good Beer Gala, where many of you will be joining us as first time or veteran fundraisers! Whether you fundraise online, in person through events like this, or both, you can dedicate a festive occasion to empowering the people of Sudan and get your friends and family involved!

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About Audrey

Audrey grew up in Memphis, TN. She is the granddaughter of a Holocaust escapee and Spanish Civil War survivor and the daughter of a Cuban refugee. Her vibrant personality and passion for the Sudanese people inspire pretty much everyone she meets. 

Audrey helps our supporters raise more funds for the programs we empower in Sudan. She loves yoga, reading, and spending time with her husband and their dog.

Operation Broken Silence Named A Top Growing Nonprofit By Classy

Today we are humbled to announce our place on the Classy 100—a list of the top growing nonprofits on the Classy platform. 

The annual list from Classy, creator of world-class online fundraising software, celebrates growth-minded organizations looking to scale their impact. To recognize these nonprofits, Classy created a unique growth score based on an organization’s year-over-year donation volume.

This year’s Classy 100 also identifies four key common contributors—growth trends—that were prevalent across the top 100 organizations’ strategies. These factors include refining existing tactics, trying new campaign types, growing their recurring donor pool, and expanding their geographical donor network. 

“The Classy 100 has become a staple initiative for us because it’s important that we continue to promote and celebrate growth in the social sector,” said Scot Chisholm, Classy CEO and Co-Founder. “As donor churn threatens organizations’ sustainability and the charitable giving landscape becomes increasingly fragmented, nonprofits must adapt to raise the funds necessary to make an impact. We’re proud of these organizations that continue to make strategic decisions, experiment with new campaigns, and continue their overall quest to engage and retain new donors.”

Recognized as number 41 out of 100, Operation Broken Silence leveraged Classy in 2017 to double the size of our recurring donor family, fully fund the Endure Primary School, and allow supporters to create online fundraising pages for Mother of Mercy Hospital for the first time. 

“The world-class tools and resources Classy has provided us are critical to the success of our mission," said Mark Hackett, Executive Director at Operation Broken Silence. "With Classy, we are able to provide our movement members tangible ways to be involved with supporting some incredible programs in Sudan that are changing and saving lives, as well as provide supporters simple and beautiful ways to talk to their friends and family about the crisis in Sudan. Our movement is growing in an increasingly sustainable way, and Classy is an integral component of that growth.”

To be included in the Classy 100, organizations needed to have had at least five transactions on Classy before 2016, made at least $40,000 on Classy in 2016, grown in 2017, and be currently active on the Classy platform. The organizations recognized span a large array of causes, sizes, and revenue. To learn more about how Operation Broken Silence and all of the other Classy 100 recipients grew, please click here.