Friends of St Mark's Juba

Support children in South Sudan

In February 2018, after several visits to the newly-formed, civil war-torn Republic of South Sudan, the trustees established Friends of St Mark's Juba (FSMJ) to complement the ongoing efforts of The Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Khartoum and the Republic of South Sudan in their work with St Mark's Orthodox School in the capital city of Juba. As its engagement and mission in Juba evolved, FSMJ expanded its UK-based leadership team and was granted charity status by the Charity Commission for England and Wales in May of 2020.

From the beginning, and owing to the London girls' school roots of its founding trustees, Friends of St Mark's Juba (FSMJ) focused on promoting and facilitating education for girls in an area of the world where nearly half were married and illiterate before they reached their late teens. FSMJ efforts at this exploratory stage involved working within a substantial yet basic existing school infrastructure, built by the Coptic Church, with security, electricity and access to clean water, and augmenting it with meals and separate toilet facilities, for boys and girls, which had a positive impact on school attendance, especially for girls. School supplies were also solicited and transported by trustees from the UK to provide children and classrooms with the basics, such a chalk, pencils, notebooks and rulers. New school uniforms were acquired through contacts in Egypt and presented to children, most of whom were receiving their first article of first-hand clothing. The Church also uses the school assembly hall for Sunday services, where families are fed, however, one does not need to be Christian to attend services or the school.

Over a short period, the mission of FSMJ has evolved into one of cultivating access to a comprehensive and quality education for all children, including those who might be challenged by mental or physical disabilities. Trustees work to recruit and equitably compensate qualified teachers, while developing a sound and comprehensive curriculum in cooperation with school leadership and the Ministry of Education of South Sudan. FSMJ provides a Wi-Fi network for the school and has given smartphones to teachers and school administrators. Laptop computers have also been provided for the school computer lab. FSMJ has introduced scholarships for both boys and girls, as well as incentive gifts to teachers for excellence in teaching.

In concert with the Coptic Diocese, FSMJ also provides school fee support to a substantial number of children who suffer particular poverty or have been orphaned due to the civil war, AIDS, or other misfortune. FSMJ has also begun to extend hardship or medical grants to families in the surrounding community.