News & Events

March 2011

Life for Sudan Vice President Returns from South Sudan Trip

In March 2011 Peter Nhiany returned from his fourth trip back to South Sudan since being resettled in the United States as one of the Sudanese Lost Boys. While in Sudan Peter was able to observe firsthand the referendum vote taken to determine if South Sudan would remain tied to the government of the North or would vote to become an independence and separate state. The South Sudanese overwhelmingly voted for independence and there was much celebration when the results were announced.

Peter reports that the South Sudan cities and villages continue to grow and expand thanks to relative stability throughout much of the South. However, recently fighting has broken out between the northern government and South Sudan in some disputed border regions. In mid-May northern government troops occupied the border town of Abyei, leaving those residents vulnerable to life threatening exposure, lack of medical services, and starvation. This situation prompted Peter to write a formal letter to U.S. Senator Jean Shaheen to bring the dire situation in Abyei to the attention of our Federal government. A brief excerpt:

“Honorable Senator, the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Accord signed between the Northern Government of Sudan and the South Sudanese was a covenant and peace is in extreme jeopardy and needs special and immediate attention from the international community and especially the United States.”

Please pray for political, social and economic stability in South Sudan as they continue to build an independent nation and repair the damage brought about from decades of war.

The Needs Continue

“When I arrived in Magal village in the Bor area in February, I was received with a lot of excitement and greetings from kids, women and men. I was filled with so much joy and love at the time because Magal is the village where my father, brother and their families live. I was happy that I could see my people again for the fourth time. People from my village are always happy and pleased when they see me despite the fact that I really have nothing of great value that I can give them. There is nothing so sweet like love from your community. Before I left the United States, Life for Sudan did put in a request to our generous supporters for clothing donations. People responded positively and I brought over 50 items of clothing to Magal village with me. People were very happy and thankful to those American friends who donated this clothing.”

Below is a photo of Peter’s clothing distribution in Magal and a personal message from just one of the grateful individuals who was helped during this trip.

“I’m so happy for what our friends did to us. I’m also so thankful to our brother and son Peter for making connection with his friend to help us. I know we have people who think about us and one time like today we get something. We have a lot of needs such as school and school supplies for our children. Now our children go to school under trees and in unsafe huts that are used as classroom. We know things are hard to get, just like here in the village we cultivate and that is a lot of work and energy. It is the same like that everywhere but we always hope that God will see our suffering and will definitely answer our prayers. So I thank our friends from America for helping us with clothes. We shall hope for next time. Thank you.” Achol Athiek, Magal Village.

Life for Sudan continues to support several South Sudanese youths in their educational pursuits in Kenya and Uganda and we continue to raise funds to help the Magal Primary School in the Bor area. We recently partnered with a New Hampshire middle school that has raised funds to support Life for Sudan’s efforts in the Bor area. Schools there are in need of simple building supplies such as wheel barrows and wooden molds to form clay bricks that village workers will use to build new, more stable structures. Food for the workers and school supplies for the students will also be provided. Life for Sudan welcomes your donations to help us accomplish our goals of advancing primary and secondary education in South Sudan. Please consider giving a tax-deductable donation to our efforts through the Network for Good. Or check out our page for Getting Involved & Donations for way to support this important ministry.

All donations of any amount are welcome of course, but the following are some suggested areas of particular need:

Shoes for five school children: $25

Wheelbarrows: $75/each

Brick molds: $100

School classroom supplies: $125

Teacher support: $250 for one month

Mechanical brick-making equipment: $1500

Travel costs to Bor/Magal: partial $200; full $1,600

Network for Good

Getting Involved & Donations

Enthusiasm ran high as Manchester Sudanese men and women boarded the buses for the trip to Massachusetts to vote.

January 9, 2011 - Sudanese Participate in the Referendum Vote

This date marked the first of several days that South Sudanese could vote on the referendum to determine if South Sudan will stay allied with the north or form a separate state. Sudanese in the U.S. voted at a number of approved stations, the single location in New England was Arlington, Massachusetts. Life for Sudan was present to send off three bus loads of enthusiastic voters from Manchester, New Hampshire who made the hour-long ride to Arlington’s voter station. Dr. Sarah Alier, who helped organize the event and also secure a donated bus from nearby St. Anselm College, told Life for Sudan of her pride and gratitude at being both an American and a South Sudanese at this critical juncture in that country’s history.

Rev. John Yen (facing camera with glasses) of Grace Episcopal Church in Manchester, NH helped organize the trip.

Professional videographer, Steve Byrd of Ace Digital Media (www.acedigitalmedia.net), engages two Sudanese women as they prepare to board the bus.

February 2008

Life for Sudan Vice President Peter Nhiany returned to South Sudan in early 2008 -- only his second trip since fleeing from the war as a child. Peter's purpose was fact finding and network building. While in South Sudan he met with community and school officials in the Bor District to determine their specific needs and how concerned people in the United States could help them rebuild and strengthen their primary education system.

We encourage you to check out the overview of Peter's 2008 trip which depicts his connection to the people, the schools, and their needs.

Please consider a donation that will help Life for Sudan assist the people of South Sudan build a sustainable future.

If you have any questions, email Dennis Sasseville, President.

December 14, 2007

Congratulations to Life for Sudan Board member Peter Nhiany who was sworn in as a United States citizen on this date! The good Lord saw fit to blanket a fresh coat of snow over the state of New Hampshire on Peter Nhiany's first day as a U.S. Citizen. The pure white snow represents a wonderful symbol of Peter's official new beginnings in America.

December 2, 2007

Unrest and Danger Continue in Southern Sudan. With the completion of the Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA) in early 2005 the formal warring in Southern Sudan came to an end. But at times, the danger to the civilian population trying to rebuild their lives and the framework for their communities continues. The UN estimates that the Merle militia group has abducted more than 450 children in the past two years for purposes that include intimidation, child labor and forced marriages. Life for Sudan Vice President and Lost Boy Peter Nhiany just learned that the Merle militia attacked a Dinka cattle camp at Pagook in the Bor district on November 28, killing 27 and wounding almost 30 more. The location of this unprovoked attack was just a short walking distance away from where Peter’s family resides. There is every indication that the attacks on the Dinka’s will continue into the future in this area of unrest and sparse governmental protection. Life for Sudan asks for your prayers for the protection and safety of the Dinka people of the Bor district.

March 30, 2007

Recently, Life for Sudan had an opportunity to assist, even in a small way, some members of the N.H. Sudanese community by providing funds towards the family's Green Card application fees. Fees for Green Card renewals and applications and fees for U.S. citizenship are becoming more complex and costly. Through generous donors Life for Sudan can continue to defray some of these necessary but burdensome costs for these refugees and immigrants.

March 25, 2007

Even in small ways we can help our brothers and sisters in Sudan. A gentleman from the Manchester Sudanese community, Biar Kuol Atem, recently returned to Khartoum, Sudan, for a family visit. Life for Sudan learned that the people of the Khartoum community had difficulty finding adequate clothing, even the basic necessities. Thanks to some generous LFS supporters and even with airline baggage restrictions, we were able to send Biar off with a dozen shirts for his family members in Khartoum!

January 21, 2007

Board Member, Peter Nhiany, returns safely back to the United States after a 3-month trip to Sudan. Tired but excited, Peter shares his experiences with board member, Dennis Sasseville. Unfortunately, Peter's lab top and digital camera were stolen while in Uganda en route to Sudan resulting in many photos being lost. A feature article with photos will still be forthcoming.

January 12, 2007

A renewed hope for peace in Darfur. The government of Sudan has steadfastly refused to allow UN peacekeeping forces into the country's western region of Darfur, claiming its sovereignty would be violated. But the government recently conceded that UN forces may be allowed to serve as peacekeepers to supplement the 7,000 African Union troops that have been there for more than a year, but a present too small a force in this vast region. The Darfur region has seen three years of fighting that has killed at least 300,000 (mostly civilians) and displaced well over a million individuals into refugee camps. The conflict has spilled over into neighboring Chad raising fears that its government could be destabilized.

December 30, 2006

A special thank you to our friends at Grace Baptist Church in Merrimack, CenterPoint Church in Concord and many other individuals for supporting New Hampshire Sudanese chidlren and their families during the Christmas season. Your generous response helped us purchase toys, clothing, shoes, and Wal-Mart gift cards for 21 children and parents from eight families. Donated blankets and towel sets were also passed along. We learned that the New Hampshire African Community Center in Manchester, NH was holding a Christmas party for children on December 23rd, and we were also able to provide some toys and school supplied for this event. Life for Sudan sends our heart-felt appreciation for everyone who assisted in making this Christmas a little special for these refugee families.

November 25, 2006

Life for Sudan purchases brick-making equipment for schools. LFS identified several primary schools located in the Bor area of southern Sudan that are in desperate need of suitable school buildings. Since the 2005 peace accord, students have been returning to schools in increasing numbers throughout southern Sudan. The headmaster of the Magal Primary School told LFS board member Peter Nhiany that if they could obtain brick-making equipment they could organize volunteers and make the bricks required for building their school structures. Even basic materials are unavailable or in short supply in southern Sudan. While in Uganda, Peter has purchased the necessary brick-making tools and equipment and is making arrangements to have these items shipped to the Magal Primary School. Life for Sudan is pleased to assist, in a small way, the rebuilding of the educational system in southern Sudan.

Peter will soon continue trip by traveling to the city of Juba in Sudan and will meet with representatives of World Relief. Please pray for his safe travels.

October 30, 2006

Life for Sudan participated in the annual mission’s conference at Raymond Baptist Church in Raymond, New Hampshire this past weekend. Kathy and Dennis Sasseville represented Life for Sudan and a small table-top display communicated our ministry’s mission and methods. Pastor Kevin McBride has a wonderful friendly congregation, and we thank the church for the invitation and hospitality.

Life for Sudan Board member Peter Nhiany continues his multi-month trip back to his homeland in southern Sudan. As of October 30 he was in the Arua district of northern Uganda and planning to be in the city of Juba, Sudan by this weekend. While in Juba Peter will meet with staff members of World Relief to explore identifying collaborative projects that New England churches and individuals can support. Please continue to pray for Peter in this difficult (and potentially dangerous) trip. Peter still needs additional support for his in-country travels and to purchase school supplies for three primary schools in the Bor district of southern Sudan. If you would like to make a donation, please click to Getting Involved & Donations.

October 15, 2006

Peter Nhiany, Board Member of Life for Sudan, will be leaving for Sudan on Thursday, October 19. Please pray for safe travels.

October 10, 2006
World Relief helps reunite a Sudanese refugee family in Spokane.

Life for Sudan now has brochures available. A tri-fold brochure explaining our ministry and how people can get involved is now available. Please request your copies through our contact page. State your name, mailing address, and how many copies desired.

October 9, 2006
A big thank you to Tyler Sullivan of C.B. Sullivan of Hooksett, New Hampshire. Tyler donated a new SONY laptop computer to Life for Sudan. Peter Nhiany will be making good use of this generous gift during his upcoming three-month trip back to South Sudan.

September 21, 2006
Technology Causes Broken Bones! The BBC News reports that in Kenya and Uganda the expansion of fixed-line telephone networks has been outplaced by the rapid growth in mobile phone usage. In the past six years in Kenya alone almost 5 million mobile lines have been registered and, what was once a rich man's toy, has become a common means for basic communication. In parts of rural Uganda where network signals may be very weak, it is not uncommon for people to climb a tree on a nearby hill and cling to a branch with one arm while placing a call with the other. Medical clinics say they have been increasingly treating people, especially elderly men and women, for a rash of broken arms and legs as a result of falling while placing mobile phone calls.

September 9, 2006
Life for Sudan had a recent opportunity to assist the greater Manchester, New Hampshire Sudanese community by purchasing used childrens bicycles, furniture and household items. Rev. John Yen, LFS Board member, oversaw the distribution of these items to the community.