Newton

Congratulations on raising the 1,140 dollars! We decided to donate the money to the Duk County Lost Boys Clinic. There are lots of organizations working in Darfur and Sudan like UNICEF and the UN and US government, but they already get funding from taxes and governments. Plus, giving them money means that it's paying to help Sudan, but its not necessarily going straight to the people of Sudan. So, we decided after this website, which was a type of service called "advocacy", and raising money to help them without seeing them which was a type of service called "indirect", we wanted the money to go straight to the people which is called "direct" service. That way we've covered all three types of service!

The Duk County Lost Boys Clinic is an organization created by a Lost Boy, John Dau, who came to the US to get an education. He then decided the best way to come back and use his education to help his community in Sudan was to create a clinic (a free hospital) because the closest one was 75 miles away and they had to walk. This way we're giving money to an organization that's run by a Lost Boy for his people of Sudan.

The Duk County Lost Boys Clinic

Bringing Health Care and Hope to Sudan

Despite having suffered through years of oppression and attacks by the Khartoum regime that tried to impose an extremist form of Islamic Sharia law, the people of my village share my optimism about our future.

Thanks to the generosity of supporters around the world, we have completed our fundraising for building the clinic in Duk Payuel Sudan. Now we need to hire medical staff and send supplies; will you please help us raise the money to make this possible?

We look at this empty structure and see a clinic where our children are being vaccinated, mothers are safely giving birth, and no one has to travel by foot for 75 miles for basic medical care.

The positive outlook of the Duk Payuel people is so contagious that in the last few weeks, the United Nations started resettling refugees in our village. In fact, just last week, USAID came to the village and proposed to set up a feeding center next to the clinic.

Some have commented that the picture looks like an empty building. In many ways they are correct. Without medical staff, medicine and funds, this building would just be an unfulfilled dream.

To fully staff and provide the operating costs for the first year, we need to raise $417,000.

Thanks to the continuous generosity and support of people like you, we have already raised almost $75,000. This money has helped us hire Dr. Miriam, a doctor from Kenya who will arrive at the clinic next month. Assuming supporters like you and others continue to provide the necessary funds, Dr. Miriam will be joined by a nurse (Viera), a lab technician (Peter) and a midwife (Caroline).

Believe The World Cares

This has been a fabulous year of working together towards a common goal. Where is the love? I think we all know!

Black Eyed Peas Where is the Love?

"We only got one world. That's all we got."

Do The Unexpected

Beatbox on the Paris Metro

Grand Total

A donor promised to match our funds up to $500. Because we raised over $600, we get the whole amount! Our grand total we will be passing on is

$1,140.00

We have learned so much about Sudan and the Darfur conflict because of you guys. We are happy to pay it forward to you. Good luck with researching who you will be paying it forward to! Keep us posted...

Car Wash Wallapalloza

It threatened rain again, but the skies stayed clear. After Mass let out, we had a steady stream of dirty cars lined up to be cleaned. Thank you to all the parishioners from St. Bernard's Church for supporting our car wash. They gave us most of our business that day! Our total intake after the wet day (and not because it was raining!) was $204. Seventh graders, you worked hard.

A short photo-essay on life in a camp in Sudan.

http://www.theirc.org/resources/essays/darfurs-camp-life.html

For the best explanation (and since the situation in Darfur is so complex it uses big words), visit http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=4769&l=1 .

Stay tuned as classmates in Room 25 in Philly begin research on organizations working in southern Sudan. We'll be presenting this Thursday then make a decision on where to send the money! Great Job Newton!

Read More Blogs...

Here is a post from John from his blog, Direct Change. It talks about other students helping out Sudan.

Jon Dau states in his blog,

"I could see in the eyes of the students that they wanted to help Southern Sudan. Where did they get this value of helping others, including foreigners? Does this value of helping the needy come from their parents, teachers, school administrators, neighbors or government? I think it probably comes from all of the above. This desire to help others is a trait that is very special about the United States of America."

Read the rest of his post here:

American Students Helping Sudan