South Sudan is one of the youngest nations in the world — and one of the most fragile. Since independence in 2011, ongoing conflict, displacement, and extreme poverty have left millions of children without access to the two things they need most: education and healthcare.
St. Mary's Global Foundation for Education and Health was established with a single, clear purpose: to change that. Operating out of Juba, we work directly in communities that have been left behind by decades of instability, building programs that are not just effective today but sustainable for generations to come.
Why Education First
Education is the most powerful force for long-term change. A child who completes primary school is more likely to find stable employment, avoid early marriage, delay childbearing, and raise healthier children of their own. The returns on education compound across generations.
Yet in South Sudan, fewer than 40% of school-age children attend classes regularly. Girls face even steeper odds — cultural pressures, distance to schools, lack of sanitation facilities, and the immediate economic pressure to contribute to household labor all pull them away from classrooms.
Our education programs address these barriers directly. We support construction of safe, close-to-community learning spaces. We provide trained teachers with the materials and support they need. And we work closely with families to communicate the long-term value of keeping every child — especially girls — in school.
Health as a Foundation for Learning
A child who is sick cannot learn. A mother who lacks access to prenatal care may not survive childbirth. A family battling preventable disease spends its limited resources on treatment rather than food or school fees.
Health and education are inseparable. That is why St. Mary's Global Foundation addresses both in every community we serve. Our health programs include mobile medical outreach, maternal and child health support, nutrition programs, clean water access, and community health worker training.
When we help a community access clean water, school attendance rises. When mothers receive prenatal care, infant mortality drops. When children receive proper nutrition, their ability to concentrate and learn improves measurably. These are not coincidences — they are the interconnected outcomes of integrated development work.
Rooted in Community Trust
We do not arrive in communities with a predetermined plan and impose it from the outside. Our approach begins with listening — to community leaders, to mothers, to teachers, to the young people themselves. We ask what they need, what has been tried before, and what they believe will work for their specific situation.
This trust-based model takes more time. It requires patience and humility. But it produces results that last far beyond the duration of any single grant or program cycle. When communities own the work, they sustain it.
St. Mary's Global Foundation is headquartered in Juba, South Sudan. Our team includes local professionals, community health workers, and education coordinators who understand the cultural context and speak the languages of the communities we serve.
Join the Mission
Every child in South Sudan deserves a safe place to learn and access to basic healthcare. Achieving that requires resources, partnerships, and sustained commitment from people who care. Whether you are a funder, a volunteer, or simply someone who believes in this work, there is a role for you.
We are grateful for every dollar, every partnership, and every person who stands with us. Together, we are building something that will outlast all of us — a South Sudan where every child has the chance to thrive.