Jonglei Health Sciences Institute Reopened!

We are pleased to share the great news that, after six months of hiatus, the Jonglei Health Sciences Institute in Bor, South Sudan, has now reopened to students.

The Institute was closed in March due to COVID-19 restrictions on educational institutions. Since then, Drs Anil and Shalini Cherian have encouraged their students to be health ambassadors in their communities, as well as participating in the local response to COVID-19 in Jonglei. AID supported them in August with a delivery of Personal Protective Equipment paid for by our donors.

This has been a challenging time in Bor. Shalini shared this with us back in August:

‘Bor Town is teeming with new people. Many displaced by floods have come to stay with relatives whose house is not affected. People fleeing conflict are all here with their guns. One of our students, Rachael Year, asks “How can I maintain social distancing when I have to sleep with eight children in my hut?” And the absence of a visible government makes the number of guns an issue. When will there be the next fight which will escalate to a gun battle?’

We praise God that despite the floods, instability and COVID-19, the Institute is now able to hold classes again. Even though they are operating differently due to social distancing, students like Bior Deng Teng (above left) are going to great lengths to attend! Please pray with us for the current cohort of students, that they would catch up on lost time quickly, overcome all barriers to their studies and grow in their knowledge and love of God.