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Despair Turns to Hope for Southern Sudan

With a population of over 30,000,

Charity Lanman (right) gives a patient an injection at the Nyinbuli clinic

the area of Nyinbuli, in the Bahr El Ghazal region of Southern Sudan, is remote by any standard. Just over five years ago, from Nyinbuli on a good day in the dry season, the nearest medical clinic was over a nine hour walk away. In the rainy season, travel outside of Nyinbuli was, and still is, virtually impossible.

In 2006, a young American woman by the name of Charity Lanman made it her life’s goal to bring transformation to this forgotten region of Southern Sudan. Challenged by the physical needs of the Nyinbuli community, Charity and another American, Cindy Aden, and a few African colleagues set out to establish the only medical clinic in the district.

Charity and her team were immediately confronted with the overwhelming challenges they would be battling – high infant mortality rates, HIV-AIDS, three out of four residents having a venereal disease, malnourishment, and no medical assistance of any kind available - neither preventative nor emergency care. Undaunted by these circumstances, the team believed that if it was able to meet the physical needs of the Nyinbuli community, it would then be afforded the opportunity to speak spiritually into the lives of Nyinbuli residents.

Now, almost five years later, the transformation of Nyinbuli is well underway. The team forges ahead in the region to bring hope where for decades hope has been a scarce commodity.

In Nyinbuli, the established clinic now provides both emergency and in-patient care to those in need. Prenatal assistance and help with deliveries are also provided. Children under the age of five along with both pregnant and lactating women are fed daily in an effort to overcome malnutrition in the region. The clinic also conducts community health seminars and training programs on a wide range of topics of significance to Nyinbuli residents. In an effort to promote overall health, eight fresh water wells have been drilled in the community and surrounding area in order to provide clean drinking water.

Saving Lives in Southern Sudan

Everyone pitches in to help at the region’s only medical facility

Nyinbuli is being transformed. No one recognizes this more than the local residents. In 2009, unrest in the region required the temporary evacuation of the Nyinbuli team. During the several months that team members were off site, so many preventable deaths resulted that Nyinbuli residents begged for the team’s quick return.

As one can imagine, living long term in Southern Sudan is not a light proposition for a Westerner. But thankfully there are those like Charity and Cindy who put the needs of the world’s less fortunate before the needs of self. GBA and IAS are privileged to assist these women and their goal of a permanently transformed society in Southern Sudan.

As the Nyinbuli team leader, Charity makes no small plans. With the aspiration of building and staffing a full scale hospital in Nyinbuli, Charity’s team works diligently toward this goal while daily preventing hungry children and pregnant mothers from falling through society’s cracks.

As you support the efforts of GBA/IAS this month, you partner with our team members like Charity and Cindy in changing the world. You can follow the work of Charity and Cindy on our website by visiting www.gba.org/seeds.

As the GBA/IAS merger moves forward, your support of our efforts is not only of great assistance, but it is also a huge encouragement. During this time of transition, we request that you please continue to make your checks payable to GBA.

With Sincere Appreciation,

Douglas Mann

President

GBA/IAS America

GBA is a non-profit, tax-exempt corporation based on section 501(c)(3) of the federal tax code. Gifts are tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by law and contributions are solicited with the understanding that Global Business Assist has authorization for the distribution of al donated funds. Donations to gba programs represent a contribution to the entire global mission of gba, including micro-lending, business training, community development and technical assistance. Donations will be used where needed to help the world’s poor help themselves.