School News

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…

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,…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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,…

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…

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…

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…

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.

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.…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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’…

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…

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.

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.

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…

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…

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.

To promote teaching as a profession in our context, Loreto Rumbek has been supporting our primary school teacher trainees in achieving professional certifications.

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.

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.

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

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.

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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.

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…

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…

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…

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%.

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

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.

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.

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…

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…

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…

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…

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

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).

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.

Building a more peaceful nation, one step at a time.

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.

In a technologically advancing world, computer skills have become a basic requirement in the current generation

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.

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…

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…

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.…

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.

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.

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.

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…

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.

Our mentorship programme reinforces the idea that the world is a safe place, something children can't always hear or see often enough.

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.…

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.

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.

On 9th October, a group from the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) visited Loreto and were entertained by the Loreto Peace Club members.

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

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.

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.

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.

Before breaking for the holidays, and after the end of term exams, the school ran a series of sports events over three consecutive days.

The student council helps fulfil parts of the mission of our school which includes leadership training and empowering young women.

A place to call home - our school provides much needed refuge to girls, allowing them to focus on their education in safe surroundings.

The Loreto School Family system enables students from different communities, ethnic groups and socioeconomic status to feel protected and nurtured through strong family bonds.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

At Loreto Primary School we are currently running a sensory project as part of our in-service teacher training program for capacity building.

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.

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…

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”.

Our Extended Impact report for 2017 has been published and is now available for download.

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…

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…