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Debora – a safeguarding officer and teacher
My name is Debora Adut Maker, and I am a Loreto graduate. I joined Loreto Rumbek in 2012 and completed my secondary education in April 2016. Currently, I work as a Safeguarding Officer at the Disable Agency for Rehabilitation and Development (DARD) and teach at Rumbek University of Science and Technology as a teaching assistant…
Read More Overcoming Societal Challenges Through Education
In Dinka culture, we understand rain as a blessing. With this understanding, our Prayer Day really was blessed. A few moments before we started our thanksgiving Mass, the heavens opened. The students and numerous guests however did not care and listened attentively to our celebrant, the Vicar General, Father John Malou Beny. He picked up…
Read More Flags, Anthems and Respect
Every Monday and Friday they make their grand entrance. The normally busy school life stands still for a moment, and all eyes watch while the flag is raised. At this moment, the members of our Rangers Club are in their element. They have practised every week how to raise the flag, and they ensure that…
Read More Adak – a lawyer and career woman
My name is Adak Maluak. I am 29 years old and single. I am a lawyer (Barrister) by profession, and I am now working as a legal advisor in the Ministry of East African Community Affairs, Juba, South Sudan. I am happy to share my life story, specifically, the journey of my education and what…
Read More Monica – a bookworm and future teacher
Monica’s mother was her father’s second wife and had eight children. While Monica was in Primary Eight, her mother fell ill and passed away, leaving her and her siblings to their father. Her elder sister, also a Loreto graduate, was in the internship program then but had to go and look for employment to support…
Read More Fundraising start for Loreto Aweil
Today, we officially started our fundraising campaign for the new Loreto Mission in Aweil. If you want to help us provide quality education in South Sudan, especially higher education for girls, share this video and/or donate here.
Read More Culture, science, environment and many more
Loreto Rumbek Secondary School recently held its first Club Presentation Day. Like every Loreto school, we have various clubs where the girls learn new skills, discover their talents, and do good for the local community and the environment while having fun together. Impressed by the diversity of the clubs and the commitment of our girls,…
Read More Mary Alual – a nurse and role model
Mary Alual is a graduate of Loreto Rumbek and works as a nurse at the Mary Ward Primary Health Care Centre. She heard about Loreto Secondary School from other girls in her village and joined in 2012. It was challenging for her to attend because she was the first girl to be educated in her…
Read More More than just beautiful
Where girls are together, beauty is naturally an area of interest. Loreto Rumbek is no exception, and the experience of the annual Miss Loreto competition has already helped some girls to win prizes at national competitions. This can be a university scholarship or a bigger sum of money. What girl or family doesn’t need that…
Read More Mary Arun – mother and peace builder
Mary Arun Gol, a graduate of Loreto Rumbek, has worked for Peace Canal in Rumbek since 2020. She is the Deputy Area Coordinator for Greater Rumbek, focusing on women’s empowerment and peacebuilding activities. She joined Loreto Rumbek in 2010 and graduated Senior Four in 2013. She then completed a degree in Agricultural Sciences from the…
Read More Loreto Rumbek students have cast their votes
The last few weeks have been busy. Speeches were written and delivered to applause; ballot papers were printed and lists prepared; points of view were explained and requests for improvements were discussed; and finally, the time came and the prefects were elected in both the Loreto Primary and Secondary Schools. There are prefects for almost…
Read More Antoneta – a future doctor
Aciek Antoneta joined Loreto Girls Secondary School in 2017, finished her Senior Four studies in 2021, and graduated from the Internship programme in 2023. Antoneta is the third born in her family and the second daughter. Her father has two wives and is the sole provider for them. Her father was an advocate for education,…
Read More A new building for better education
Today is a great day for Loreto Rumbek as we officially open our education centre. It is the first two-storey building in our compound, from whose gallery you can see half the school grounds and far beyond into the neighbouring villages. This is also where the students of this building come from – young men…
Read More Ding Majak – an advocate for education
Tabitha Ding Majak first heard of Loreto when her husband, the Chief of Titicrojit village, visited Bishop Mazzolari, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Rumbek at the time. Mazzolari had spoken of the Loreto Sisters setting up a school, and Ding’s husband offered to provide land for the school in the area. Once the…
Read More More than work experience…
If you walk attentively through the Loreto compound, you will meet many young women and a few young men working alongside pupils, teachers, and staff in various compound areas. Most of them are former graduates of the Loreto Schools who are now doing an internship here and can apply for a study scholarship at the…
Read More Loreto Women presented: Priscilla
More than 400 young women have successfully graduated from the school since we began. The stories of these young women are so impressive and touching that we would like to share a few of them with you over the next 12 months.
Read More 2023 Annual Report published
Dear friends, we are delighted to be able to share with you our Annual Report, 2023 We have outlined some of the activities and achievements over the past year. 2023 has been a busy year and a blessing for us all. We started the year with the Pope’s first visit to South Sudan in February.…
Read More Heatwave holiday and what we do during it
It was the middle of the midterm break and most of the students had already gone home, when we received the news from the national Ministry of General Education and Instruction that all schools had to close until further notice due to an exceptional heatwave. Of course, our teachers, interns, and clinic staff are staying…
Read More Pilgrimage for peace
Last year, a colourful group of students from our secondary school, together with other young people from the diocese, our bishop, and some priests and religious, went on a pilgrimage to Juba to greet the Pope. Through their pilgrimage and prayers, they expressed their desire for peace and simultaneously practiced this peace together during these…
Read More Visit of Pope Francis and our Loreto Pilgrimage of Peace
Our Pilgrimage of peace to Juba We prayed and hoped for years that the Pope would visit South Sudan and, if possible, our school in Loreto. When we heard rumours of his visit, it caused great excitement for the citizens of this country. As a Catholic school, inspired by the vision of Mary Ward, we…
Read More 2022 Annual Report published
We are happy to present our third annual report 2022 has been a busy and fruitful year for all of us in Loreto Rumbek. This report gives a clear picture of how far our support goes within our different projects. Our team has also been able to connect our work with the Millennium Development Goals…
Read More Loreto welcomes new graduate
Duruka Nyanyiir is an alumnus of Loreto Secondary School from 2012-2016. She is a dedicated person and one of her many plans was to finish university. Being part of a large extended family, her parents were not able to support her further studies after her secondary exams. Her desire to study gave her the motivation…
Read More Pilgrimage to Juba – a walk of peace
The theme of the Pope’s visit to South Sudan is ‘I pray that all may be one‘. It is an important opportunity to revitalise the peace process here and to foster healing and reconciliation. Loreto has selected some students, interns, and staff to take part in a walking pilgrimage from Rumbek to Juba. It is…
Read More Preparing the Leaders of tomorrow
In the Dinka culture, girls are seen as a source of wealth through marriage and are not given the opportunity to pursue their dreams. This is one of the major challenges faced by Loreto School for Girls. Over the years, the perception about education has gradually improved and the number of parents encouraging their daughters’…
Read More 2021 Annual Report published
Despite the challenge of the Covid pandemic, Loreto Rumbek has continued to offer a range of health and education services to our many students and community members. This Annual Report details the activities of our three projects: the Primary School, the Secondary Boarding School, and of course the Primary Health Care Clinic. We are grateful…
Read More Sr Orla awarded Ireland’s Presidential Distinguished Service Award
The Presidential Distinguished Service Award is presented by the President every year, in recognition of the service given to Ireland, or to Irish communities abroad, by those who live outside Ireland.
Read More Standing up for children – Child Protection Training at Loreto Rumbek
We hear from Jamsina Cholhok, a Loreto graduate trained in child protection policy who is now working with our students and staff children around the issue.
Read More School reopens in challenging and uncertain times
South Sudan, like every country in the world, was affected by the outbreak of Covid-19. The pandemic threatened to reverse educational progress in this country that already has a low literacy rate. Access to education, especially for girls is difficult because they are at risks for forced marriage and teenage pregnancy. When schools were closed…
Read More Healing the mind through group and individual counselling sessions
Inner healing is an important part of human development. It gives peace of mind and can also help improve confidence, self-esteem and the discovery of oneself. In Rumbek, our communities face a lot of issues caused by inter-communal conflicts that can lead to mental health issues among our people. Mothers, children and young girls are…
Read More With tree planting comes sustainability in the community
To help our communities, for many years, Loreto Rumbek has promoted environmental care and nutrition by planting trees inside our compound and along our security wall.
Read More Teachers go back to school
To promote teaching as a profession in our context, Loreto Rumbek has been supporting our primary school teacher trainees in achieving professional certifications.
Read More The importance of water bore holes in the community
Over the past ten years Loreto donors have provided ten boreholes to the local communities. Along with better access to water the communities have each planted gardens beside them.
Read More Hand shaking and raising awareness of Coronavirus
Over the last 3 weeks, our medical team consisting of nine former interns has been able to outreach to 49 water points, training a total number of 3,010 people, mostly women. Creating awareness in the community about Coronavirus becomes an urgent need as most of our people are illiterate and they are not informed of what is happening around the world.
Read More Introducing Loreto’s Mary Ward Primary Health Care Centre
Our health services have been growing from a small unit to the current large and facilitated Primary Health Care Centre, PHCC. The new PHCC, named after Mary Ward, was officially opened on February 11th, 2020
Read More Loreto girls shining beyond school
These forums enlighten, transform and empower the women and girls to do more in the society. Girls are able to show their interests and thus gain the support they need from parents and the society.
Read More Parents play a crucial role supporting the education of our children
November 11th, 2019 was a busy Thursday morning in the Loreto Primary School. Children were in classes and alternatively playing in their playfields. 351 parents came to attend the parents’ day and discuss the progress and needs of learners. Some walked while others cycled from their various homes to reach the school. Gathered under a…
Read More Love for my sisters, my elders and my community – the Loreto Peace Club
This term, the Loreto Peace Club (LPC) carried out its usual activities which are a way of finding peace and stability from the grassroots. In these activities, students apply several skills that they learn in the peace club weekly study sessions, to be responsible over the environment and care for the people who live in…
Read More Nursing Mothers receive Infant Care Kits from MCC
Babies need special care because they have low immunity and are thus prompt to infection. As leaders of tomorrow, they need a clean and conducive environment to grow in. For nursing mothers, Infant Care Kits are useful to help them give their babies a good start. In June, the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) distributed 264…
Read More School magazine launched!
Welcome to ‘The Mirrors’ – Loreto-Rumbek’s First School Magazine. Over this year, the computer club students have steered students in featuring several articles which voice out students’ opinions and talents. It has been a platform where students sharpened their thinking, communication and imagination as they reasoned out, because expressing oneself needs creativity and confidence. This…
Read More Enhancing Teachers’ Cohesion in Loreto Primary
Teaching is a beautiful job that helps teachers grow and develop. Teachers help students grow and develop as well so as to brighten their future, because they are entrusted in the communal task of bringing up children. Success is guaranteed for teachers who embrace teamwork, because unity is strength and a strong team offers a…
Read More Targeting the community with our health outreach program
A healthier community ensures great health for all and reduces cases of sickness hence saving lives. In the efforts of creating a healthier community, health education has been part of the work carried out by health staff at the Loreto Primary Health Care Center, LPHCC. Health education has served as a platform to encourage and…
Read More Secondary school hosts it’s first Science Fair
The science fairs have helped students gain confidence and stirred their interest in Science. It’s a highly anticipated event filled with educational entertainment, and a non-examinable exercise geared towards helping the pupils improve their grades as they understand class-based concepts more.
Read More Promoting Peace in Young Learners through Play
Play is an essential tool for learning and instilling good values in children. Children have a short concentration span and play is vital in reviving their energy. It also helps them to develop new skills and encourages their imagination and creativity. Play creates an opportunity for children with different backgrounds to come together and develop…
Read More MCC Supporting Young Women with Dignity Kits
Most girls of school going age across the globe are in their reproductive stage and sanitary towels are a basic need. In most under developed and developing countries, sanitary towels may not be easily affordable and most students may have to survive with a few packets in a school term. “Here in Loreto, the school…
Read More Excitement as Loreto students receive school kits from MCC
On a calm Tuesday morning in June, about 300 students at Loreto Girls Secondary School were settled in their classrooms, their faces bright with expectation as they each received a school kit donated by MCC. Every kit contained a ruler, a set of colored pencils, 4 notebooks, 8 pencils and an eraser in a lovely…
Read More Celebrating exam success with our newest graduates
In Loreto Girls Secondary School, we believe that when a woman is educated, the whole society is educated and hence we work hard to provide the necessary support to prepare our students to tackle the national exam. We are proud to announce that our 48 candidates have all excelled in the national exam with a minimum average score of 74%.
Read More Appreciating the work of Nicky Hess
Besides nursing, Nicky taught health education to the girls in the secondary school, and facilitated the primary and community health education program. She covered topics discussing mental wellbeing, feelings/emotions and coping skills; physical wellbeing; nutrition; anemia; proper adherence to medication; and social wellbeing
Read More Loreto Rumbek welcomes back Sr Orla Treacy
July 2nd, 2019 marked a big day and great time for Loreto Rumbek as the community welcomed back the school mother and Principal, Sr Orla Treacy. The day comes after several months of waiting and weeks of preparation.
Read More Promoting Peace and Unity Through Sports
The importance of sport was highlighted at our recent sports day - activity enables learners to be more engaged, effective and motivated, which helps to improve their academic performance.
Read More Loreto Peace Club visits the local Orphanage
Visiting the sick and underprivileged is one of the Loreto Peace Club (LPC) activities, which serves to help club members to grow in empathy and compassion – an essential foundation for peacebuilding. With the support of MCC, the LPC works to promote peacebuilding, trauma healing and resilience within and outside the school community. On 15th…
Read More Loreto Nottingham past pupils generous support of our school
We were thrilled to be contacted by Anne Beardsley recently on behalf of a group of Loreto Nottingham past pupils. The Loreto Nottingham girls 1966 – 1971 held a reunion on 22nd June 2019 with 22 attendees in total, travelling from all over England to be there. Many of these Loreto girls had not seen…
Read More Students mark end of term with Talent Show
After the end of a busy term and exams, we let our students relax from exam anxieties with several co-curricular activities. On Saturday May 5th 2019, students participated in a talent competition to mark the end of a busy first term of the year. In the midmorning, the Loreto family gathered under the neem trees…
Read More Celebrating Easter at Loreto Rumbek
Easter is one of the most important Christian holidays, commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, His death, and His resurrection from the tomb. During this season, Christians remember Christ’s sacrifice and the freedom and grace that it offers for all believers. It allows a time to reflect and contemplate our own sins and to bring them…
Read More Staff training – reaching our goals through team building
Team building is a process that can help to inspire and uplift spirits as we learn to trust each other. At Loreto Rumbek, we believe that motivation and productivity are two of the main goals of team building
Read More Safeguarding our children through child protection initiatives
Our recent workshops are part of an organization-wide initiative to provide comprehensive child protection training for all staff, with support from Mennonite Central Committee (MCC).
Read More Student teachers using art to open younger minds in lower primary
At Loreto, we are working with our learners at an early age to help them to develop basic art skills with the help of our student teachers.
Read More Loreto Peace Club pay visit to local hospital
Building a more peaceful nation, one step at a time.
Read More Loreto Peace Club hosts Big Sister / Little Sister Weekend
The sessions serve to promote peacebuilding, trauma healing and resilience among the girls because they provide a place for them to freely discuss their experiences.
Read More Equipping our students with vital computing skills
In a technologically advancing world, computer skills have become a basic requirement in the current generation
Read More Loreto grows – despite limited resources
During 2019's student intake, we had 424 applicants from a wide variety of backgrounds. With your support we were able to accept 106 students. These students will benefit from a program that provides comprehensive support, giving them the best possible chance to succeed in their studies and lives ahead.
Read More Training our peer counselors to provide crucial student support
At Loreto, our peer counselors provide crucial support – helping students to meet their needs for physical wellbeing, security, belonging, appreciation, and personal development. This year, student peer counselors are being trained to help their fellow students to find solutions to their problems. As fellow students, these peer counselors are able to understand and relate…
Read More Sr. Orla receives 2019 International Women of Courage Award
On Thursday, March 7, the US Secretary of State hosted the 2019 International Women of Courage (IWOC) Awards at the U.S. Department of State to honor 10 extraordinary women from around the world. This year, our very own Sr. Orla Treacy was nominated and selected for this prestigious award. Today, I was very aware of…
Read More Loreto students recognised at school awards
Within the setting of a school, the outcomes of a student’s actions are important to the learning process. This is because the outcome of an action influences the repetition of a learner’s behaviour in the future. To encourage certain behaviours, positive reinforcement can be used intentionally. At Loreto, tangible reinforcements involve rewards such as pens, books and watches.…
Read More The Loreto Environment Club – working to make our environment better
Loreto Environment Club members cultivate the school farm, growing vegetables like kudra, tomatoes, pigweed and spider plant. This is part of a wider outreach effort to create environmental awareness in the immediate and larger community.
Read More Spiritual Growth is Essential too
Faith trumps anxiety and fear as we work to realize our life goals and purpose. Walking with God helps us embrace His Omnipresence and feel that God is with us and will provide and protect us.
Read More Students and community members participate in Healing and Rebuilding workshop
Over the midterm break, a group of students and community members participated in a three-day Healing and Rebuilding Our Communities (HROC) workshop at Loreto.
Read More Loreto Balbriggan host School Spirit Day for Rumbek
Each year our Loreto School in Balbriggan Co. Dublin has been actively involved in raising money for our school. In October Sr Penina and Sr Orla visited and met with the whole school – over 1,000 students. The school management and students were organizing a fun day for us. The theme this year was tee…
Read More Celebrating a journey – our annual graduation ceremony
Our 8th graduation for the senior 4 class of 2018 took place on November 21, 2018. This year we had the largest number of girls graduating with 48. The theme for this graduation was "I have the ability to change and build". Congratulations our candidates and continued success in the National exams.
Read More Teaching and learning through mentorship
Our mentorship programme reinforces the idea that the world is a safe place, something children can't always hear or see often enough.
Read More Rearing and caring for animals on the school farm
In the Loreto animal enclosure, we rear goats and pigs. When one of the goats gave birth to four kids, she could not produce enough milk to feed them. To help the kids survive, our agriculture teacher and some of our students helped by bottle-feeding the young goats – they are now healthy and thriving.…
Read More Debating club – listening, learn from and educating each other
Girls from the Debating club recently took part in the annual grand debate, with students from neighbouring schools. Debates are a good avenue for students to build their confidence through public speaking and to think critically.
Read More Student visit to the Rumbek state hospital
A recent visit by Peace Club members to the local hospital reminded is that small acts of solidarity help to open the doors and hearts of our community members – making them receptive to hearing our message of peace.
Read More Peace club welcomes MCC to the school
On 9th October, a group from the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) visited Loreto and were entertained by the Loreto Peace Club members.
Read More Coming together to fundraise for the Primary Health Care Unit
Before the end of our previous school term, our students were encouraged to donate whatever they could afford to support the less fortunate in our community
Read More The path to Senior One – encouraging our students to meet their potential
Working together - parental encouragement is vital to when it comes to giving our students the best possible chance to succeed at their studies. Here we look at the path through to the Senior One class.
Read More Education beyond limits – Loreto Accelerated Learning Program (ALP)
The Accelerated Learning Program is a haven for students who might struggle to attend school because of age, marital status, or disability. Many people from the local community are benefiting from this program.
Read More School Holidays and the challenges they bring to our students
Holiday time brings a variety of opportunities and challenges to our students. While many will take time and rest away from their studies, some must convince their families to allow them to return once a new term resumes.
Read More Winding up term joyfully – Sports Days at Loreto
Before breaking for the holidays, and after the end of term exams, the school ran a series of sports events over three consecutive days.
Read More Nuturing the leaders of the future
The student council helps fulfil parts of the mission of our school which includes leadership training and empowering young women.
Read More Boarding at Loreto – a place to rest, grow and feel safe
A place to call home - our school provides much needed refuge to girls, allowing them to focus on their education in safe surroundings.
Read More Family get together – reinforcing the bonds of family
The Loreto School Family system enables students from different communities, ethnic groups and socioeconomic status to feel protected and nurtured through strong family bonds.
Read More Pilgrimage of Peace
At the start of our midterm break, our Senior 4 class made a 40km peace pilgrimage to Wulu, accompanied by some of our graduates and staff.
Read More Embracing beauty and diversity
The beauty pageant aims to help the girls appreciate their inner beauty and diversity by embracing various cultures, while also allowing them to appreciate their own culture. At this year’s event, regional and national pride was evident.
Read More The Loreto Peace Concert – promoting conflict resolution
The theme of this year’s concert was unity and peace - the girls danced, sang songs, and recited poems to communicate the importance of peace.
Read More Healing through Sharing
The 'Tree of Life' is a a workshop methodology which is helping our students recover from trauma, encouraging them to build resilience as they face into the future.
Read More Emergency feeding program at the Loreto Healthcare unit
Over the past year we have been running an emergency feeding program for malnourished infants, some as young as six months old. The Loreto PHCU is also educating young mothers on disease prevention, early detection and treatment.
Read More Tribute to Sr. Mary Mumu
During her 17 years of service in Rumbek, Sr. Mary was well known as a mother and leader of women; a pillar of strength she acted as guide, companion and supporter throughout the early years of the school.
Read More Developing our teaching methods at Loreto Primary School
At Loreto Primary School we are currently running a sensory project as part of our in-service teacher training program for capacity building.
Read More Mary and Elizabeth – the twins who survived and flourished
When an expectant mother gives birth to twins in South Sudan it is very likely that neither or only one of them will survive. Meet Loreto Rumbek students - Mary Adit and Elizabeth Achien. In a couple of months, these two girls will be sitting for the national exam.
Read More Sparking an interest in science – the Loreto Science Fair
It is a hot busy day at Loreto Primary School, with an occasional breeze and the sounds of children bursting with excitement as they assemble under a big lulu tree. In a few minutes, the Science Fair will begin, a highly anticipated event filled with educational entertainment. At the end of every term, the school…
Read More Loreto Girls Win Essay Contest on Women’s Contribution to Peace in South Sudan
This year, the UN called upon students from Secondary schools through a competitive essay contest on the critical topic of “How can Women Contribute to Durable Peace in South Sudan”.
Read More Loreto – Rumbek Extended Impact Report 2017
Our Extended Impact report for 2017 has been published and is now available for download.
Read More Sr. Orla Treacy recognized for her humanitarian work in South Sudan
Sr. Orla from Bray, Ireland, has been with the Loreto — Ireland Mission in South Sudan since its inception in 2006. One of three sisters originally sent to develop the school, Sr. Orla has remained a constant in the community for 12 years. In this time, the Loreto Girls Secondary School in Rumbek has grown…
Read More Welcome to our new website
Welcome! We would love to take this opportunity to welcome you to the new website for the Loreto Programs in Rumbek, South Sudan. We know that most of our friends and supporters may not be able to visit us in person and we hope that this website will help you to stay involved. For those…
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