Here’s a slide show of our gift to the villages surrounding the Rhumathoi Community Center: two bulls and the feasting that followed. I had some of the beef. It was fantastic. So was the honor.

We don’t have any photos of the remarkable conversations I had with the women’s literacy classes at Rhumathoi Community Center about whether they would be interested in a project of making their own menstrual pads. It took a little diplomacy to get my translators (both married men, fortunately) to understand what I wanted to discuss. But they said it was important topic and went to talk to the women. They came right out from the class and said, “They want to see them now.”

I didn’t bring any pads, just one sample made from a pattern we had worked on years ago with my friend Liz Ging. (Back then, we were thinking about the girls at Wunlang School. But now it seemed logical to start with our organized class of women at Rhumathoi.) The men didn’t want to come in, so I had brought over my supplies, and with our cook, Ayak, as my translator (her English is about at the level of my Dinka!) and my demonstration underwear, we all managed to communicate well.

It’s an easy pattern to make up.

One afternoon I sat in the cool of the guesthouse and sewed some up by hand myself, thinking the women were at their literacy class. It turned out that the ladies had arrived for class only to find that their teachers were busy making funeral arrangements for a

leader in the local market. They were chatting outside. So I showed the details of hand stitching, turning both pieces rightside out, sewing them shut, and sewing on the snaps. I brought patterns, lots of terrycloth, needles, and scissors, some thread (which I knew was easy to get) and I’ve been assured that some fasteners are available in the market — even buttons and buttonholes would work.)

The ladies were also interested in making these for post-partum women, and turning some of the terrycloth into diapers. I left all the supplies in a big flowered bag. They said they soon would be organizing themselves. I’m looking forward to learning how they do!

That’s what one of the newest students at the women’s literacy class at the Rhumathoi Community Center proclaimed. Almost 30 women came out to say goodbye to me on my last day in Rhumathoi. The center started with two classes for a total of 20 women; we have capacity for 40, and, as head teacher Joseph Deng notes, “We could have 100, the interest is so high.”

Mr. Deng, the headmaster of nearby Rhumathoi primary school, and two other teachers from the school lead the women’s literacy classes. A few women have had a little education and are starting with the South Sudan health curriculum for Primary 1 classes. (South Sudan’s curriculum is modeled Uganda’s and Kenya’s.) The majority of the women started with the ABCs; they had reached “U is for umbrella” by the time I left.

The students arrive in the afternoon early afternoon, work with one tea break (after they’ve finished the work in their exercise books), then begin the walk home around 5 p.m.

We are so proud of the women of Rhumathoi and the welcoming attitude of the community toward a women’s literacy class. Who knows how far they’ll go?

News and pictures have just arrived about some exciting activity taking place at the multipurpose community center we are supporting for livelihood training and adult education. Community members are clearing the land where the center’s demonstration gardens will be planted. The purpose of these gardens will be to grow crops as a food source for the training program’s participants and to sell surplus vegetables and grains in the market. The agriculture class will also learn about irrigation methods to support dry season gardening.

Our grant to the center has also enabled the community to hire a local teacher to lead basic literacy classes for adult women who have never had a chance to go to school. Functional literacy skills will supplement other training to enable partcipants to start and manage small enterprises, generating income to help sustain the center’s future operations and for modest personal earnings.

Finishing touches are also preparing guest houses for visitors and staff who need overnight accommodations. The guest housing will be a comfortable place to stay and provide practical hospitality training for program participants. This small B&B will also generate income to support the center and pay the staff. Our visiting board members will be the first guests when we travel to the area in January.

Looking at these pictures brings us comfort and joy knowing our donors enable us to support community initiatives in this way – local citizens doing their own development work!

Here are the exciting photos we recently received from our community center construction site: The community center is going up! Here’s a view of the floor plan, showing classrooms of various sizes. We have a few more detail photos on ourSmugmug photo site. You can also see our treasurer Ron Moulton standing in what used to be an empty field! The kitchen is small, but cooking usually takes place inside only when it’s raining. It’s also a place to keep food and supplies safe and dry. We’re really building a small campus. Here’s a view of the main community center building, the kitchen, and the men’s guest house. Note the guest house’s traditional round shape. And here’s the women’s guest house. Can’t wait to unpack there!