Berichte
God loves a cheerful giver.
2 Corinthians 9,7
Partnership is Relationship: Partner sein’s journey of solidarity to South Sudan and Uganda
In 2019 we made a control visit to South Sudan to see how our financial support was being used. In February 2025 a delegation of the Partner sein board once again visited and reviewed the projects. They were welcomed with pleasure and gratefulness and returned reflecting on what they had seen and experienced.
Ibba, South Sudan
Our host, Bishop Wilson Kamani, the Bishop of the diocese of Ibba, is an impressive personality. He is a stickler for hygiene, insisting that hands be washed before mealtimes and that every night we should shower before bed time. There is however no running water, so we had to tip water out of a bucket over our heads and bodies. Although the air temperatures were over 40°C, we were given hot water but, in reality, we all longed for a cold shower. The promotion of hygiene and therefore health, is a declared target of the Diocese.
Charities line up in a row
Our trip was between February 10 and 24, 2025. Our Partner sein delegation consisted of Raymond Dumont (President), Beatrice Reuser (Project leader) and her husband Nick, and Peter Grüter (Office manager). They visited various projects supported by Partner sein in war damaged South Sudan and later, projects in Uganda. As usual, each member of the group paid all their own expenses. No money donated to Partner sein was used.
South Sudan is one of the poorest countries in the world, since independence from Sudan in 2011 it has been plagued by fighting between various ethnic groups. Profits from the rich oil reserves are mainly used for weapon purchases and not for development of the country. Innumerable charities are present, whereby, USAID, one of the biggest, is pulling out on presidential order. Our impression was that charity work is an industry for itself.
Great need leads…
At the moment Partner sein supports two projects in South Sudan, one of which, a vocational school for young persons, is in Ibba and managed by Bishop Wilson. The school has currently three buildings and a number of residential buildings (Tukuls) for students from far away. Since January 2025 the school has a bore hole with pump next to the school buildings which has been financed by Partner sein. During our visit, we had the honour to inaugurate it. Education and vocational schooling remains a challenge without end throughout South Sudan. Children and young people flock to schools, most of which are church run and of which there are too few. Those that exist are often simple buildings with little furniture, lack of teaching materials, basic latrines and rainwater runoff for fresh water. In addition, there is a grave shortage of local teaching staff.
Since our last visit to Ibba six years ago, the situation has greatly improved. Vocational training for youngsters in South Sudan is a rare thing and the Bishop Levi school in Ibba is the only such school for miles around. Originally founded as a school for young girls who had broken of their education due to early pregnancy, the school now offers courses to both male and female students. Whoever qualifies to become carpenter or seamstress needs tools or a sewing machine in order to be able to work. The cost for a poor student can be high. Partner sein helps with some of the costs, but funds are limited.
…to great visions
Bishop Wilson is rightly proud of what he has achieved in Ibba. In the vicinity of his home there are a number of schools allowing schooling from kindergarten to vocational level. Not a given in South Sudan. Since over 15 years, education for all has been a central and succesful theme of the Diocese of Ibba. The County Commissioner, who paid us a visit, is a graduate of these schools. We also could visit the simple workshops of a number of graduates that we have supported. Bishop Wilson has further plans for the Diocese. Together with the Mother's Union he has bought land on which to grow teak which can be sold in a few years time. On a five hectare plot of bushland he plans, sometime in the future, to build a university with it's whole campus and an amphitheatre as Aula...
This project is too large for Partner sein. Bishop Wilson knows that he must seek more potent financial backers. All the same, he is grateful for the possibilities which even the limited resources of Partner sein have provided. Our school project will continue. He wishes to deepen the relationship with Partner sein since Partnership is Relationship. Bishop Wilson remains optimistic about the risk of war in South Sudan and particularly the security risk in Ibba. The Diocese has invested heavily in peace talks in Ibba and enjoys the confidence of all parties. As such, promises of no war in the region are not empty ones. Bishop Wilson constantly observes the political situation from a distance. His motto, which hangs on his office wall, is: Eyes on but hands out.
Our visit finished with a farewell party, attended not only by church representatives and the Mother's Union, but also by various officials from the police, fire brigade, regional government and the County Commissioner. We received tailored shirts from the sewing atelier of the school as well as each a 1½ litre of local honey.
Yambio
Our next visit was to our second project in Yambio – microcredits as start capital for women. Here we were heartily greeted by Samuel Enosa Peni, the anglican Archbishop of the Province of Western Equatoria, who is also Bishop of Yambio. Owing to flight changes, we could only stay one day in Yambio. This resulted in a packed programme as Archbishop Samuel wanted to show us everything for which he hoped to get Partner sein support. We saw a number of rudimentary school buildings, empty rooms where everything was missing, except school children who filled all available space.
Thankful and successful
In the evening we met twelve of the fifteen women so far recipients of microcredits. They explained in detail their lives and marked improvement to their living standards thank to the support of Partner sein. A number of the women had been able to open a small business from which they could live. A problem was the short repayment period as well as the local inflation rate of over 500%p.a. which rapidly increases the cost of goods as the value of the money borrowed shrunk. As a thank you they gave each of us a selection of fruit and agricultural products, including a branch of a banana tree. How on earth are we going to get all that home!
Bulyakamu
The third and last stop on our journey was Bulyakamu in Uganda and a reunion with many people whom we had last seen on our control journey some three years ago. Since then, following local political changes, our work in Uganda has taken a new orientation. Partner sein ceased working with the local Diocese and withdrew from long year projects, including our flagship project in Kanoni. However, in Bulyakmu, near to Kanoni, opportunity arose to engage more with the agricultural and household school run by the association Mwebale Nnyo founded by the Swiss citizen Regula Kamer who is well known to Partner sein. A number of teachers formerly in Kanoni now work here. The project has developed well and the school and new guest house are now run by local staff. Regula Kamer is no longer active in the day to day management.
Illuminating walks
As at the previous two stations of our journey, our local contacts informed us of the actual status of the project and buildings, as well as the problems and needs. Our walks in the area around the school centre were informative. We wandered through dispersed settlements, saw the huts and houses of the locals, various boreholes financed by Partner sein (one of which had had its pump mechanism stolen), the crops and the meadows, seeing much poverty and need. At times we had to step off the deeply rutted red earth road to allow a small motorcycle, often carrying up to 5 persons, to pass. (The local public transport)
Partner sein says THANK YOU
Every inspection journey ends with the same certainty, which is at the same time a dilemma: There are so many places in this world where one could do good things. With a small start capital, many people could find a way to become independent. However, our resources are limited, unfortunately all too much. We are thankful for what is possible, and that in its self is not little. We rejoice in the happy faces and grateful people we have met. Our thanks go out to you dear readers and we sincerely hope that you will continue to support Partner sein in its work.
Our host, Bishop Wilson Kamani, the Bishop of the diocese of Ibba, is an impressive personality. He is a stickler for hygiene, insisting that hands be washed before mealtimes and that every night we should shower before bed time. There is however no running water, so we had to tip water out of a bucket over our heads and bodies. Although the air temperatures were over 40°C, we were given hot water but, in reality, we all longed for a cold shower. The promotion of hygiene and therefore health, is a declared target of the Diocese.
Charities line up in a row
Our trip was between February 10 and 24, 2025. Our Partner sein delegation consisted of Raymond Dumont (President), Beatrice Reuser (Project leader) and her husband Nick, and Peter Grüter (Office manager). They visited various projects supported by Partner sein in war damaged South Sudan and later, projects in Uganda. As usual, each member of the group paid all their own expenses. No money donated to Partner sein was used.
South Sudan is one of the poorest countries in the world, since independence from Sudan in 2011 it has been plagued by fighting between various ethnic groups. Profits from the rich oil reserves are mainly used for weapon purchases and not for development of the country. Innumerable charities are present, whereby, USAID, one of the biggest, is pulling out on presidential order. Our impression was that charity work is an industry for itself.
Great need leads…
At the moment Partner sein supports two projects in South Sudan, one of which, a vocational school for young persons, is in Ibba and managed by Bishop Wilson. The school has currently three buildings and a number of residential buildings (Tukuls) for students from far away. Since January 2025 the school has a bore hole with pump next to the school buildings which has been financed by Partner sein. During our visit, we had the honour to inaugurate it. Education and vocational schooling remains a challenge without end throughout South Sudan. Children and young people flock to schools, most of which are church run and of which there are too few. Those that exist are often simple buildings with little furniture, lack of teaching materials, basic latrines and rainwater runoff for fresh water. In addition, there is a grave shortage of local teaching staff.
Since our last visit to Ibba six years ago, the situation has greatly improved. Vocational training for youngsters in South Sudan is a rare thing and the Bishop Levi school in Ibba is the only such school for miles around. Originally founded as a school for young girls who had broken of their education due to early pregnancy, the school now offers courses to both male and female students. Whoever qualifies to become carpenter or seamstress needs tools or a sewing machine in order to be able to work. The cost for a poor student can be high. Partner sein helps with some of the costs, but funds are limited.
…to great visions
Bishop Wilson is rightly proud of what he has achieved in Ibba. In the vicinity of his home there are a number of schools allowing schooling from kindergarten to vocational level. Not a given in South Sudan. Since over 15 years, education for all has been a central and succesful theme of the Diocese of Ibba. The County Commissioner, who paid us a visit, is a graduate of these schools. We also could visit the simple workshops of a number of graduates that we have supported. Bishop Wilson has further plans for the Diocese. Together with the Mother's Union he has bought land on which to grow teak which can be sold in a few years time. On a five hectare plot of bushland he plans, sometime in the future, to build a university with it's whole campus and an amphitheatre as Aula...
This project is too large for Partner sein. Bishop Wilson knows that he must seek more potent financial backers. All the same, he is grateful for the possibilities which even the limited resources of Partner sein have provided. Our school project will continue. He wishes to deepen the relationship with Partner sein since Partnership is Relationship. Bishop Wilson remains optimistic about the risk of war in South Sudan and particularly the security risk in Ibba. The Diocese has invested heavily in peace talks in Ibba and enjoys the confidence of all parties. As such, promises of no war in the region are not empty ones. Bishop Wilson constantly observes the political situation from a distance. His motto, which hangs on his office wall, is: Eyes on but hands out.
Our visit finished with a farewell party, attended not only by church representatives and the Mother's Union, but also by various officials from the police, fire brigade, regional government and the County Commissioner. We received tailored shirts from the sewing atelier of the school as well as each a 1½ litre of local honey.
Yambio
Our next visit was to our second project in Yambio – microcredits as start capital for women. Here we were heartily greeted by Samuel Enosa Peni, the anglican Archbishop of the Province of Western Equatoria, who is also Bishop of Yambio. Owing to flight changes, we could only stay one day in Yambio. This resulted in a packed programme as Archbishop Samuel wanted to show us everything for which he hoped to get Partner sein support. We saw a number of rudimentary school buildings, empty rooms where everything was missing, except school children who filled all available space.
Thankful and successful
In the evening we met twelve of the fifteen women so far recipients of microcredits. They explained in detail their lives and marked improvement to their living standards thank to the support of Partner sein. A number of the women had been able to open a small business from which they could live. A problem was the short repayment period as well as the local inflation rate of over 500%p.a. which rapidly increases the cost of goods as the value of the money borrowed shrunk. As a thank you they gave each of us a selection of fruit and agricultural products, including a branch of a banana tree. How on earth are we going to get all that home!
Bulyakamu
The third and last stop on our journey was Bulyakamu in Uganda and a reunion with many people whom we had last seen on our control journey some three years ago. Since then, following local political changes, our work in Uganda has taken a new orientation. Partner sein ceased working with the local Diocese and withdrew from long year projects, including our flagship project in Kanoni. However, in Bulyakmu, near to Kanoni, opportunity arose to engage more with the agricultural and household school run by the association Mwebale Nnyo founded by the Swiss citizen Regula Kamer who is well known to Partner sein. A number of teachers formerly in Kanoni now work here. The project has developed well and the school and new guest house are now run by local staff. Regula Kamer is no longer active in the day to day management.
Illuminating walks
As at the previous two stations of our journey, our local contacts informed us of the actual status of the project and buildings, as well as the problems and needs. Our walks in the area around the school centre were informative. We wandered through dispersed settlements, saw the huts and houses of the locals, various boreholes financed by Partner sein (one of which had had its pump mechanism stolen), the crops and the meadows, seeing much poverty and need. At times we had to step off the deeply rutted red earth road to allow a small motorcycle, often carrying up to 5 persons, to pass. (The local public transport)
Partner sein says THANK YOU
Every inspection journey ends with the same certainty, which is at the same time a dilemma: There are so many places in this world where one could do good things. With a small start capital, many people could find a way to become independent. However, our resources are limited, unfortunately all too much. We are thankful for what is possible, and that in its self is not little. We rejoice in the happy faces and grateful people we have met. Our thanks go out to you dear readers and we sincerely hope that you will continue to support Partner sein in its work.
Changed: 24.03.2025 Visits: 69 month