Holiday Wishes

Dear all,
As 2011 draws closer to pass, I wish to thanks all of you for your support to the SSEC. Those who have organized the fundraising and those who have contributed financially are all equal to the success of the project.

2011 has brought a renewed energy to the SSEC, and we are looking forward to a better 2012. As we draw closer to achieving our goal, we hope that you will find it necessary to finish the journey together with us by supporting SSEC even more. For a meantime, enjoy the holiday with your loved ones.

Best wishes and happy holidays!

Solomon Awan

The Fundraising was a Success

To all the supporters, the December 11th fundraising event was a success. On behalf of SSEC, my sincere thanks to those who helped organize the event, including Vicky, Pam, Veronica, and Kathy. In the same magnitude, my heartfelt thanks to those who have reached to the bottom of their pockets and donated. To us, every penny account, and your donations have taken us a step closer to accomplishing the goal. To those who have not donated yet, please consider supporting SSEC, and donated today to help us finish building of the school.

Thanks!
SSEC

Fundraising

SSEC has fundraising event on Sunday December 11, 2011. For those who may not come, we are inviting you to consider donating to the project through The Hope Alliance. Please make note that your donation is going toward South Sudan Education for Change. Thanks for your supports.
Contact:

801-694-3048
solomonawan@yahoo.com

My Sincere Thanks!

Solomon is very thankful to Coleen and the family for their efforts to make sure that children studying under trees in Duk, South Sudan will have shelter on their backs before next year end. They are the "Gold" donors, both in time and their own funds, for the project. They are education dream for those kids!

A mileston Achievement

Dear friends, Supporters of the SSEC, I am again updating you on the status of the school we all need to see going through. I made a call to the field on Saturday and was told that bricks production went very well to the capacity of cement that was initially purchased. This means that bricks production would have been completed by now was not the shortage of cement. In addition, I was told that digging of the foundation will commence within two days. The manager (David Malith) will come to Juba soon to request additional funds for the purchase of addintional materials. Among others, he will be requesting funds for the following items:
• Timber
• Cement (additional to what has already been)
• Iron sheets (150 pieces already purchased)
• Engineer compensation
• Transportation fees
Challenges
I was told that the engineer/masonary was asking unbearable amount for his compensation. The village authorities are negotiating with him to come down from his price tag. I will get more information when David Malith arrives in Juba.

Another challenge is that we are behind the schedule. We were expecting a completion of the construction before rainy season begins. We can still meet that if we have enough funds for the upcoming purchase.

Your Help Needed
Friends, supporters of the SSLP, we all know how it has been hard on our finances beginning last year to present. However, we made determination and started this project during bad economic shock in the contemporary history. We shouldn’t give-up this time while we are halfway through. With the spirit of humanity, spearheaded by 6 year old Jayden, let us all make sure we finish this project together. The longer we leave it to one family (Clark’s family) the harder it becomes on them. Please joint hand with determined friends to get this done.

For donation, referral, ideas, or anything, please contacts me. I can be reach at:

Solomon Awan
solomonawan@yahoo.com

Thanks for your unwavering support!

The Birth of Republic of South Sudan

Happy Birthday to the Republic of South Sudan, July 9, 2011!

An announcement for the new name

After one month since I asked you, the supporters, to suggest or vote for a new name, I am please to announce the following name as the winner. Those who have voted have unanimously supported “South Sudan Education for Change” (SSEC). I am very please that this name was chosen because it has a lot in association with the mission of facilitating favorable learning environment for the aim of reducing current staggering illiteracy rate in the region. The name will go live on July 9^th, but to reserve the right, the current name has been changed to read “Southern Sudan Education for Change”. When time comes, july 9^th, “ern” would be removed. 

Why is the name SSEC a good match?

Many statistics place Southern Sudan on top of the countries with highest illiteracy rate. For that reason, Southern Sudan ranked high in child motility rate, lack of clean water, dependence on UN aidInsecurity, lack of infrastructure, and insecurity. Hence, it’s evidenced that change is needed and it will only come through education. Like any other developing or developed countries, education will domestically produces qualified doctors, engineers, economist, and teachers to the republic of south Sudan. And most importantly, education will tame the subsequence generations from causing insecurity and instead values their lives and be productive members of their respective communities. When this happened, South Sudan would become home to anyone who currently hesitate to live there. Who will bring the change? It is you and me; therefore, we cannot wait a week or month for the change to happen. Others have already started and their names are listed on the right side of this blog. Please send your donation to:

The Hope Alliance

1775 West 1500 South

Salt Lake City, UT 84104

801-952-0400

Please include a note directing them as toward “Solomon School Project” or for Southern Sudan Education for Change. I would also like you to notify me either through solomonawan@yahoo.com or 801-694-3048.

Thank you for your support

The Window has Officially Closed

Dear readers,


The window, allowed, for suggestion of a new name has officially ended with the name suggested. It was closer to unanimous exercise. The new name will be shared in two days time. It is a hope that those who have participated suggested the name the rest would support. Thanks to everybody who has participated.

Name Change Underway

Supporters of SSLP and patrons, I would like to make you aware on the pending project name change. This name change is necessitated by the birth of the new country on July 9, 2011. The project has the name Southern Sudan that will change when it will becomes the Republic of South Sudan. Therefore there is a need to change the project name as the name Southern Sudan will not longer represents the new country. However, the name has not been picked yet. I would like to invite you to participate in suggesting a suitable name so that a new name is ready comes July 9^th. Here are some suggested names:

I. South Sudan Literacy Project

II. South Sudan Education for Change

III. South Sudan School for Change

IV. Dongchack School for Change

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Please participate by suggesting a new name, or vote on the above four suggested names. We have 15 days to come up with a name and it will be announced two days after that. I am waiting to read your suggestion or voting. Thank you in advance for your participation.

Independent Republic of South Sudan

SSLP is here congratulating the people of Southern Sudan for their recent hard-won freedom from the central government’s (Northern Sudan) decades of oppression. For those who may not know, Southern Sudan has voted for total independence from the North in the last January’s referendum. This came as a result of two decades of civil war which took 2.5 million lives mainly from the South. The referendum results were announced on February 7, 2011 with 99% favoring independence. However, the formal declaration of independence will be on July 9, 2011. The success of the referendum and its results acceptance by the North has removes the uncertainty of war resumption between the two warring regions. Therefore, it was a freedom at last for the people of Southern Sudan.

Supporters of SSLP, the cause of the civil war was marginalization of the people of southern Sudan by the central government residing in the North. One of the effects of such marginalization is high illiteracy rate in the South. As of today, illiteracy stood in the range of 95 – 98% in the South Sudan. Such a staggering illiteracy rate in the 21 first century needs to be suppressed quickly if living conditions for the people of South Sudan had to change for better. This is where our helping hand is needed and the good news is that we are not starting from zero. We have already started in 2009 with construction materials on the ground and foundation for four classes constructed. However, we stuck there because we ran out of funds. The last couple years were difficult as a result of economic turmoil worldwide and still in recovery mote. However, we need to reenergize and push for its completion. The spirit of justly freed people of South Sudan will help us raise enough funds for the project. Please help SSLP to accomplish this worthwhile project we could find gratitude as we did something for the betterment of the world.