An Increase In Nursing And Midwifery Students
A new intake has dramatically increased the number of students at the School of Nursing and Midwifery in Juba, South Sudan.
Principal James Lotto recently informed us the number of students has risen to 200, with 38 first year midwifery students joining the 18 who are in their second year, and a large intake of 114 new nursing students to supplement the 30 who have completed their first year of training.
The potential for 200 graduates to enter the public health system provides an opportunity to significantly boost health outcomes in the coming years. In addition to the dramatic increase in numbers, the high retention rate of the first intake of students is very encouraging, with 48 of the original 50 students continuing into their second year.
At the same time the high volume of students creates an increased workload for staff and tutors who were already under-resourced.
Fulcrum Aid is in the process of purchasing and sending 60 copies of the African Edition of Myles Textbook for Midwives. We have also received donations of reference books for the library valued at over $3000.
We express our great appreciation to the Zonta Club of Noarlunga / Southern Vales for their generous gift of $650 towards the cost of the midwife text books, and to the many generous individuals who have donated books or money.
If you would like to help provide trained nurses and midwives in South Sudan there is information here on how you can support this project.
About the Author
Steve Blacket
Steve is the Managing Director of Fulcrum Aid, an organisation dedicated to sustainable freedom from extreme poverty with partnerships in four countries across Africa and the Asia-Pacific. Steve’s urban ministry in South Australia led to lifelong friendships among the South Sudanese refugee community who requested Steve’s assistance with community development in their homeland. Working with a faith-based organisation Steve initiated and managed various projects in South Sudan including Darfur refugee support, training and resourcing Traditional Birth Attendants, an intervention program for war affected children, a Midwives Training School, a program for girl’s education, and a community agricultural enterprise. Steve also initiated education projects and social enterprises among the Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh. Steve returned to Australia in 2013 with a vision of how a small, non-aligned aid organisation committed to assisting early stage, locally initiated projects could make a difference. Partnerships and project opportunities continue to grow, including slavery rehabilitation in South Sudan, social enterprises in Bangladesh, independence schemes for vulnerable young women in Uganda and South Sudan, holistic care for HIV affected children in Bangladesh, and resourcing a Nurse and Midwife School in Juba, South Sudan. Steve’s vision drew support from across Australia and in 2014 he led the founding of Fulcrum Aid, dedicated to supporting in-country leaders and harnessing Australian partners and resources so that local communities could move towards sustainable freedom from extreme inequality and poverty. Today Fulcrum Aid has a dedicated team of Directors and an expert staff including Business, Project, Publicity and Research consultants, supported by Steve in his role as Managing Director.
Contact Steve by email here.
Comments (1)
monicawoodlm
This is great.
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