News & Updates
Check out the latest from Sudan and our movement
11th annual Eden's Run 5K will be largest in our history
Our team captains and runners have broken another recruitment record.
As of this morning, our team captains have surpassed another record! With 128 registered runners and more signing up as we post this, the 11th annual Eden’s Run 5K will be the largest in our history.
This leaves one last milestone for our runners to race past: fundraising. If every registered runner hit their $50 fundraising goal right now, we would exceed this final milestone. And if you sign up right now, you can help us blow past it.
As excited as we are to make this announcement, there is still much work to be done. The 24 teachers and 1,300 students are counting on this event to help them make it through the end of the year. After losing 60% of their funding because of the pandemic, we have the opportunity to provide some certainty to them for at least the next 6 weeks.
About Us
Operation Broken Silence is building a global movement to empower the Sudanese people through innovative programs as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. We focus on empowering Sudanese change makers and their critical work. Learn more here.
Donations are tax-deductible within the guidelines of U.S. law. Give here.
Runners shatter early registration records for Eden's Run 5K
In the middle of a global pandemic, runners are flocking to a virtual run that sustains education in a forgotten refugee camp.
As of last night, over 100 runners have registered early for Eden’s Run 5K. This is a 102% growth in early registrations over 2019! Additionally, there are dozens of more runners who have pledged to sign up and hundreds more who are about to be asked to join.
Eden’s Run 5K is the smaller of Operation Broken Silence’s annual events. The 11th annual run is unique due to the challenges posed by COVID-19 and the resulting economic crisis:
This year’s event is virtual and emphasizes recruiting new faces across the country to our movement.
Registration fees and fundraising minimums have been halved to encourage more sign ups.
Because entry is so low, runners have the option of visiting our online store for discounted merch!
While Eden’s Run 5K is continuing to support education in Yida Refugee Camp, the purpose this year is a bit different. Our organization has been hit disproportionately hard by the economic fallout of the pandemic.
Giving and fundraising is still down about 50% for the year due to cancelled events, brand partnerships being paused, institutional giving evaporating, and supporters seeing job losses and paycheck deductions. The two schools we sponsor in Yida Refugee Camp have seen their budgets cut in half for these reasons.
When you register for Eden’s Run 5K, you are running after every single donation that the 24 teachers and 1,300 students we support have lost this year. Let’s run!
About Us
Operation Broken Silence is building a global movement to empower the Sudanese people through innovative programs as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. We focus on empowering Sudanese change makers and their critical work. Learn more here.
Donations are tax-deductible within the guidelines of U.S. law. Give here.
Sudan is set to be removed from the terror list. Here's what that means.
What would normally be a huge US foreign policy story will most likely go down as a mere footnote in the history of 2020 .
Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militants in Khartoum, Sudan.
What would normally be a huge US foreign policy story will most likely go down as a footnote in 2020 . Earlier today, President Trump announced on Twitter that he intends to remove Sudan from the U.S. government’s State Sponsors of Terrorism list:
GREAT news! New government of Sudan, which is making great progress, agreed to pay $335 MILLION to U.S. terror victims and families. Once deposited, I will lift Sudan from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list. At long last, JUSTICE for the American people and BIG step for Sudan!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 19, 2020
While this is welcome news, there’s a lot going on here. Let’s get into the weeds a bit.
Background
If this is all new to you, the relationship between Sudan and the United States has been fraught for three decades. The Bashir regime seized power in a military coup in 1989 and immediately became one of the worst dictatorships in history.
Omar al-Bashir and his cronies orchestrated the mass murder of an estimated 2.5 million of the Sudanese people, forcibly displaced millions more, and hosted a plethora of terrorist organizations. At one point, even Osama bin Laden called Sudan home.
The Clinton Administration added Sudan to the State Sponsors of Terrorism list in August 1993. Only three other countries are on this list today: Iran, North Korea, and Syria. Being listed as a State Sponsor of Terrorism comes with broad sanctions and diplomatic efforts to isolate and punish.
Sanctions were quickly piled on Sudan in an attempt to cripple the regime, and Bashir and his henchmen became international pariahs. With few exceptions, American policy has mostly held this course ever since.
In 2019, people across Sudan peacefully took to the streets to demand an end to the Bashir regime. After months of bloodshed against protesters, Bashir was arrested by his own military. The brutal military council that replaced him faced even larger protests. They begrudgingly allowed for the creation of a transitional government months later.
Today, Sudan is ruled by this transitional government, which includes military officers from the Bashir regime and new civilian leaders. The country is supposed to have free and fair elections in 2022.
The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly
US policy toward Sudan has always been a mixed bag. President Trump’s announcement today is no different, and he also left out some important details.
The Good
Let’s begin with the obvious: removing Sudan from the terror list is the right move. It’s not without problems, but it is what the Sudanese people want and deserve.
Children from the Nuba Mountains of Sudan in Yida Refugee Camp, where Sudan’s revolution is entirely unfelt.
The listing has hampered Sudan’s transition to democracy. International financial institutions and businesses have continued to avoid doing business in Sudan due to the designation. The economy is in a tailspin: inflation is over 200% and the Sudanese pound is at 262 against the dollar on the black market. Bread and fuel lines are common in Khartoum.
Even more concerning is that there has been zero investment in Sudan’s historically oppressed hinterlands, where the need for change is so dire and overdue that people are losing hope.
Many things have to go right for Sudan to transition to a sustainable democracy. A failed economy is a primary threat. Removing the terror designation will help outsiders feel more comfortable about opening up lines of business and credit to Sudan, which can help civilian leaders in the transitional government move the revolution forward.
The Bad
The way the Trump Administration went about this left a lot to be desired. The concessions extracted from the transitional government left a bad taste in the mouths of many Sudanese people and American allies. President Trump’s America First approach has created a concerning rise of anti-Americanism in Sudan’s borders. The United States is now the oddball straggler in how Sudan is being welcomed into the global community.
The Trump Administration jackhammered the beleaguered transitional government for months — for no good reason — to get to this obvious point. Rather than treating this moment as an opportunity to turn a former enemy into a new friend, the administration tied progress on relations with Sudan solely to a broader regional goal of better relations with Israel and settling the long-running dispute of terrorism-related compensations.
Sudanese protesters march in Khartoum, Sudan. May 2019.
Both are issues that do not touch the lives of ordinary Sudanese, who bravely brought down the regime American policymakers have hated for so long. They did it alone, paying with their own blood in the process. In return, the Trump Administration smacked them around before responding with a policy choice that boils down to getting out of the Sudanese people’s way. While there are no guarantees that a democratic Sudan would be best friends with Israel, we know that democracies tend to drift toward each other. Resolving disputes between Israel and Sudan could have happened with more ease and less work in the not-so-distant future.
Peace in the Middle East and justice for families of terrorism are admirable goals; however, extending and worsening threats to a once-in-a-lifetime chance for democracy and peace in Sudan, and thereby running the risk of the military and Islamists returning to power, was extraordinarily reckless. Had these efforts failed and Sudan’s transition gone underwater, Sudan and Israel would still be on bad footing, no compensation would be available for families, and the Sudanese people would be back at square one.
The Ugly
If there was a reason for the Trump Administration to take this iron-fisted approach, tying the removal of the terror designation to weakening powerful surviving elements of the regime would have made more sense. For example, demanding the disarming and demobilization of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a regime paramilitary outfit that continues to terrorize ordinary people across Sudan, could have been a worthwhile pursuit. It also ties in more directly with why Sudan was even on the terror list.
RSF commander Hemeti is the primary military threat to Sudan’s democratic aspirations. He’s a violent holdover from the Bashir regime and has a deep desire to rule Sudan. The Trump Administration could have focused the terrorism delisting on the greatest terror threat remaining in the country. Instead, they ignored the reality on the ground for issues unrelated to Sudan’s move toward democracy.
What Happens Next
Thankfully Sudan’s transition has not gone underwater and — because the situation in Sudan is dire — there’s a decent chance that Sudanese leaders will forgive the United States for this painfully weird approach. That’s assuming that the Trump Administration quickly moves forward on the agreement made, which we don’t have the full details of. Based on the well-documented chaos in the Trump Administration, there’s reason to be concerned that the agreement won’t move forward at the pace needed.
Under U.S. federal law, once the President formally notifies Congress of his decision to remove Sudan from the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism, Congress will have 45 days to review the case. The House and Senate could block the decision with a veto-proof joint resolution, or simply let the decision stand without a vote.
2 \ According to the understandings reached between the White House and the Sudanese government Senate leadership will announce its intention to pass a Sudan immunity bill that will protect Sudan from future law suits in America by terror victims
— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) October 19, 2020
4 \ After Sudan gets what it wants it will announce it is starting a normalization process with Israel, Israeli sources tell me. They said a phone call between Trump, Netanyahu and Sudan’s leaders Burhan and Hamdok could take place within days
— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) October 19, 2020
Despite the setbacks in this process, we should welcome this positive development.
Hopefully Sudan will be removed from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list soon. This designation has been rightfully described as unproductive and burdensome. Removing this obstacle means the United States will no longer actively be standing in the way of the Sudanese people.
The United States can certainly do a much better job moving forward. Today is a good day though. Here’s how you can help keep moving the needle.
GET INVOLVED
There hasn’t been a better time to run toward lasting change in Sudan. It’s why we fund two incredible Nuba-led schools in Yida Refugee Camp. Our supporters supply 24 Nuba teachers who oversee 1,300 refugee children a year.
Our 11th annual 5k is going to be virtual this year! Team captains are already bringing together runners online across the United States. The teachers and students in Yida need you to join them right now. Register for $15 and raise another $35 through your fundraising page before November. Your effort supports them.
About Us
Operation Broken Silence is building a global movement to empower the Sudanese people through innovative programs as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. We focus on empowering Sudanese change makers and their critical work. Learn more here.
Donations are tax-deductible within the guidelines of U.S. law. Give here.
About Mark
Mark Hackett is the Executive Director of Operation Broken Silence. He works with our Sudanese partners and oversees our daily operations.
Mark is one of only a few Americans to have been on the frontlines in the Nuba Mountains during the war and Yida Refugee Camp.
Movement Spotlight: Andrea Pitman
Meet one of the Team Captains for Eden’s Run 5K and learn how she is crushing her goals!
Our 11th annual 5K is less than a month away! When you join the Eden's Run 5K Virtual Challenge, you are running after every single donation that the 24 teachers and 1,300 students we support in Yida Refugee Camp lost this year because of the pandemic.
The success of this year’s run hinges on our incredible Team Captains across the United States and around the world. They’ve been hard at work the past few weeks recruiting their first batch of runners.
I wanted to know how they’re doing this, so I reached out to Andrea Pitman — who has already recruited 8 runners — to learn more:
This year's run is...different. What are you looking forward to most?
I'm excited to still have a reason to connect with my friends and community, even if that looks less than normal. I think the pandemic has a lot of people craving a feeling of togetherness and this is a fun and meaningful way to do that!
You've already recruited 8 runners to your team! How'd you pull that off?
I actually followed the Team Captain Guide that OBS provided. I started by asking close friends who would want to hang out just because. Then I started asking family members and then my runner friends. Next, I plan to ask my coworkers if they want to join in and run or donate.
Do you think people are more or less likely to get involved this year because of the pandemic?
In my experience, people were quick to respond and agree. Again, there are fewer gatherings (whether in-person or virtual) right now and a virtual 5k is a great event to participate in. Get outside, get moving, enjoy the weather, and support some great teachers!
Do you have any advice for our other Team Captains?
Have fun with it! I'm planning to get a group together in person for those who feel comfortable doing so (and properly socially distancing) to run/walk during the weekend.
Those who feel more comfortable running solo, I'm going to make it a "relay" event on social media. So I'll plan to kick off the event and run my 5k and then "tag in" the next person on my team on social media. Once they've completed their race, they'll tag in the next person, and so on.
You can also try and use challenges to raise more money online. My husband is running and as more people donate, he'll do extra exercises at the race or let people pick out something crazy for him to wear. It's a fun way to get people engaged.
Start Your Team
There’s still time to start a team in your community and put your state on the map! Head on over to our ticketing site, hit Register To Run, and select Create A Team.
It only takes a minute to get started, and you’ll be ready to change lives in Yida Refugee Camp.
About Us
Operation Broken Silence is building a global movement to empower the Sudanese people through innovative programs as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. We focus on empowering Sudanese change makers and their critical work. Learn more here.
Donations are tax-deductible within the guidelines of U.S. law. Give here.
About Mark
Mark Hackett is the Executive Director of Operation Broken Silence. He works with our Sudanese partners and oversees our daily operations.
Mark is one of only a few Americans to have been on the frontlines in the Nuba Mountains during the war and Yida Refugee Camp.
Help us get an Eden's Run 5K team in every state
Hear from Planning Committee Chairwoman Raquel Capocaccia about becoming a Team Captain in this year’s run!
Our 11th annual 5K is coming up in November! When you join the Eden's Run 5K Virtual Challenge, you are helping to make up for every single donation that the 24 teachers and 1,300 students we support in Yida Refugee Camp lost this year because of the pandemic.
The more runners we have signed up, the better off the teachers and students will be heading into 2021. How do we make this need become a reality? Team Captains. A lot of Team Captains. I recently asked our Planning Committee’s Chairwoman Raquel Capocaccia about this:
Why are Team Captains important this year?
Team Captains are important every year, but in a year where our “race” is happening all over the country (and world), it’s so important for our runners to have a point person to connect with that can help support their fundraising and racing goals.
How’s recruiting Team Captains going so far?
We already have Team Captains in California, Oregon, Colorado, Illinois, Arkansas, Tennessee, Maryland, and Washington DC. We also just snagged our first international team in London!
This is a good start, but we need to speed things up. Our goal is to have at least one team in every U.S. state and several countries around the world by November.
Does the pandemic make it harder to be a Team Captain this year?
The pandemic hasn’t made much easier, but it’s not harder to be a Team Captain. If anything, it might be a little easier because your recruiting pool isn’t constrained by geography anymore. Our committee has also created a lot of resources for team captains and team members to help support them through their goals and to have a successful 5K.
On top of leading the Planning Committee, you also have a running team! Any advice for our supporters who are considering starting a team?
My biggest advice for any of our supporters that are considering forming a team is to reach out to us if you need help explaining our mission and how the 5K supports the schools in Yida. There’s always a 5K going on, but the reason people want to run and raise money with us is our mission. And our fundraising minimums are so achievable that many people hit their goals immediately.
As we approach the end of September, we’re looking for more Team Captains to fill in our map. We currently need Team Captains in:
Alabama | Alaska | Connecticut | Delaware | Florida | Georgia | Hawaii | Idaho | Indiana | Iowa | Kansas | Kentucky | Louisiana | Maine |Massachusetts | Michigan | Minnesota | Mississippi | Missouri | Montana | Nebraska | Nevada | New Hampshire | New Jersey | New Mexico | New York | North Carolina | North Dakota | Ohio | Oklahoma | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina | South Dakota | Texas | Utah | Vermont | Virginia | Washington | West Virginia | Wisconsin | Wyoming
START YOUR TEAM
If you live in one of these states and want to start a team, reach out to us here or head on over to our ticketing site! Hit Register To Run and select Create A Team.
It only takes a minute to get your team started, and you’ll be ready to change lives in Yida Refugee Camp.
About Us
Operation Broken Silence is building a global movement to empower the Sudanese people through innovative programs as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. We focus on empowering Sudanese change makers and their critical work. Learn more here.
Donations are tax-deductible within the guidelines of U.S. law. Give here.
About Mark
Mark Hackett is the Executive Director of Operation Broken Silence. He works with our Sudanese partners and oversees our daily operations.
Mark is one of only a few Americans to have been on the frontlines in the Nuba Mountains during the war and Yida Refugee Camp.
Soirée For Sudan 2020 Results
You raised $31,900 through our virtual, 8th annual gala!
The 8th annual Soirée for Sudan took place from September 10-13, 2020. Originally scheduled for March 28, our gala first had to be postponed and then pivoted into a series of virtual events due to COVID-19.
Soirée for Sudan funds roughly one third of the annual budget for our two schools in Yida Refugee Camp. Canceling such a large fundraiser simply wasn’t an option. This event keeps the doors open, teachers paid, and students achieving their dreams of receiving an education. Thankfully the show was able to go on with the help of our sponsors and supporters!
YOUR RESULTS
You raised $31,900, our top fundraising record for the gala!
Attendees enjoyed a series of virtual events, including:
A cooking class with Chef Josh Steiner and Wallis Tosi
Curated cocktail demos inspired by Sudanese cuisine with Zack Jennings at Bar 409
Line dancing with Christal Lane
Music performance by Greeley
Live trivia and happy hour with our Planning Committee
Our supporters also seized the opportunity to participate in our mission. There were chances to learn about Sudan through documentary screenings, a silent auction, and matched giving throughout the weekend!
We’d like to thank all of our sponsors and attendees for sticking with us. This obviously wasn’t the event we set out to have, but like every year, you made it all possible.
Join Our Next Event
There hasn’t been a better time to run toward just, lasting change in Sudan. Eden's Run 5K Virtual Challenge is taking place from November 13-15! Not even a pandemic will stop us from funding the teachers we support in Yida Refugee Camp
Our supporters from across the country can connect and virtually “pass the torch” to their teammates and friends over social media. Register for $15 and raise another $35 by race weekend.
About Us
Operation Broken Silence is building a global movement to empower the Sudanese people through innovative programs as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. We focus on empowering Sudanese change makers and their critical work. Learn more here.
Donations are tax-deductible within the guidelines of U.S. law. Give here.
About Audrey
Audrey serves as the Development Director at Operation Broken Silence. She is the granddaughter of a Holocaust escapee and Spanish Civil War survivor and the daughter of a Cuban refugee. Her passion for the Sudanese people inspires 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.