Since 2001, I have been blessed to have the "Lost Boys of Sudan" in my life. They have inspired me by their courage, persistence, love, dedication to education. Being a former Secondary teacher,I was deeply moved by the young men's pursuit of continuing their education after they came to the United States.

After assisting the young men with getting settled in American life, I began to help them fulfill their dream of getting an education.

In 2005, Isaac Khor Bher, one of the young men my husband and I were helping, discovered his mother was alive after reading an article in the Washington Post. We then raised funds to reunite him with his mother Yar in South Sudan. In May 2005, only months after the signing of the Comprehensive Peace TAgreement (CPA), Isaac and I went to South Sudan to find his mother.

What I saw; starvation, limbs cut off due to landmines, no roads, healthcare or clean water stunned me. I had been in Africa before, but I had never seen a country so devastated by war as South Sudan. 2.2 million were killed by the North and over 4 million displaced. The south was never developed. There was no infrastructure what so ever. Landmines were everywhere, but we found Isaac's mother. I fell in love with the South Sudanese people and came home haunted by their request: "We need a school, please help us build a school".

At first, I could not understand why their request was to build a school when there was no food, clean water, or healthcare. Their response pierced my heart: " We have been oppressed for over 50 years. We have had no accesss to education and are not educated. We want our children to have what we could not have; an education so they will not have to  live under oppression and killing anymore. They will be educated and can be the future leaders of our country."

From their  request and the hope that  was emerging with the peace treaty, Project Education Sudan (PES) was created in 2006. We have reunited 7 "Lost Boys" and are helping them four build schools in their villages.

PES is serving over 3,000 children in three primary and one yet to open secondary school in Jonglei State  Bor and Twic East Counties. Please check us out at www.projecteducationsudan.org  and spread the word to your family, friends, co-workers to help us continue building hope for the newest country in the world South Sudan by donating to Climb for Sudan and helping us reach our goal of $100,000+ . And visit our website at www.climbforsudan.org.

we ca leec areetic,

Carol Francis-Rinehart

Executive Director

Project Education Sudan