Boma Project

After some months of investigation to find an area to begin our initial project in Sudan, SEA Partners identified an isolated and impoverished tribal community in the southeastern corner of the country called Boma.  Boma is home to three tribes; the Murle, Jie and Kachipo with a combined population of roughly 50,000.  Due to the war, many who lived in fertile Upper Boma moved the 8-10 miles down the mountain to the more arid and less fertile Lower Boma. This relocation was necessary in order to access the aid supplied by the UN and other relief organizations.  A majority of the people in Boma have been crippled by a “welfare mentality” leaving them with little hope for a better future. Shifting this rationale of dependence to one of independence is a major challenge we face in Boma.

In their 2004 meeting, the SEA adopted a prioritized list of 5 issues they deemed urgent in order to move the process of restoration forward. SEA Partners has incorporated a holistic approach in serving the Boma community by addressing each of these 5 concerns:

Education: There had never been a functioning school in Upper Boma. After meeting with the village chiefs and sharing with them our desire to help them build a school, their response was to give us 52 acres of land for this project.  We broke ground on the first two classrooms in November of 2006 and Faith Learning Center opened with 90 students in two classes, kindergarten and first grade, in January of 2008. Two additional classrooms were completed in 2009 and another kindergarten class added. Our goal in five years is to have a sustainable school operating K-8th grade by adding one class per year. Classes are taught by professional teachers from Kenya who enlist Sudanese assistants from Boma to learn alongside them and become trained to one day take over the classrooms. Students are being taught English which is now the primary language of South Sudan.  The actual school construction has become an opportunity to train several local men to become masons and builders.

 
Food Security: Part of our 52 acres has been designated as a demonstration farm where instruction is given the community in farming techniques so they can begin to raise their own crops for food. The first harvest of corn in Boma took place in July of 2007 amid much rejoicing. The school itself has an extensive garden where students learn how to grow various crops, taking these skills home to their families. This garden helps provide the students with a school lunch each day and the surplus is sold to help pay teacher's salaries.

 
Clean Water: Upper Boma now has 2 operating wells with the drilling of 2 additional wells planned for 2010.

Community Health: A major goal of SEA Partners in 2010 is to train personnel and supply the opening of a basic medical clinic in Upper Boma. Presently, those who are in need of medical attention must walk 8 ˝ miles to the nearest clinic in Lower Boma. Along with a clinic, training the community in health and sanitation issues is also a top priority.

 
Evangelism: Every aspect of the Boma School Project is an opportunity for our staff to share the gospel both in word and in loving actions. A church (Boma Christian Center) has been established in Upper Boma and we are awaiting the appointment of a Sudanese pastor to lead this community. SEA Partners has developed a relationship with Nairobi Pentecostal Church and their organization of 7 sister churches called CITAM (Christ Is The Answer Ministries) to help provide our Kenyan staff as well as conduct ongoing training for both church leadership and women in Boma.

The goal of SEA Partners is to work ourselves out of Boma.  Each aspect of the Boma project is designed to train community members with the skills and knowledge that will enable them to independently operate what we helped them begin.  We understand that any success we have in Boma will be measured by the degree to which we have increased the capacity of the people to become responsible for their own lives and welfare. When sufficient progress has been achieved in Boma and the school and other community services can stand on their own, we will turn over the management and operations to local leadership. Our prayer is that true community transformation will become a reality and the people of Boma can begin providing for their families, have access to education for their children and continue to grow in their understanding of a God who loves them and has not forgotten about them.  From this pilot project we will then move to another similar area in Southern Sudan to initiate a similar process.