Having achieved independence in 2011, South Sudan is the newest nation in the world. The country emerged from 50 years of civil war and conflict that destroyed nearly all social amenities, including the education system.
0%
Illiteracy Rate
According to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 60% of men and 84% of women can’t read or write. At a combined 73%, this is the highest rate of adult illiteracy in the world.
0%
Poverty Rate
According to the UNDP, at least 80 percent of South Sudan’s largely rural population is defined as income-poor and living on the equivalent of less than US$1 per day.
1 in 7 women
Die giving Birth
Per capita, more women die in child birth here than in any country in the world. According to the UNICEF, one in ten South Sudanese children die before their fifth birthday.
But there is hope…
Access to Education: Hope Secondary School
Education is a real “eye opener” to a community.
SMARD’s Education & Advocacy Program is aimed at providing educational opportunities for disadvantaged people to help them secure a better future. The program involves construction of educational facilities, capacity building for teachers, advocacy initiatives for girls and orphans and scholarship programs for talented youth.
Protection for the Vulnerable
SMARD also works to strengthen positive community social norms that protect vulnerable children and reduce prevalence of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) by creating friendly spaces for children to play.
Explore Our Work
SMARD believes that the moral base of servant leadership is the desire to serve. We lead by investing our lives in the service of the disadvantaged. Out of a spirit of friendship, humility and mutual respect, we enjoy the satisfaction that comes from selfless service.