KAJO-KEJI DIOCESE, 
SOUTHERN SUDAN

Kajo-Keji is one of the war-ravaged Diocese with which Mothers' Union members in Winchester Diocese are linked through the Mothers' Union, 'Wave of Prayer'. Situated in southern Sudan, a nation that has suffered one of the most protracted wars in Africa, information regarding members there is difficult to obtain. However in October 2004 we were visited by the MU Provincial Trainer for the Dioceses of Southern Sudan. She brought us  the following news.

The whole region of Southern Sudan (or ‘New Sudan’ as it is now being called) is now completely cut off from the North of Sudan where the government is. The north and the government are Arabic and Muslim, whilst the south is African and Christian. The north needs the south to stay in Sudan as that is from where the country’s wealth is derived - in the form of oil, gold and diamonds. At the time of her visit peace negotiations had started to end the long-running civil war.

The south of Sudan as having no roads, schools, hospitals, health clinics or markets. There is also no Sudanese money; all the currency is Ugandan. There is no means of earning income other than in Uganda. Most of the time people try to farm their land to grow crops to eat. They are forced to learn Arabic as that is the national language. If they are to try and get to the north of Sudan to earn money they have to be fluent in Arabic. There are no roads linking the two major regions of Sudan - the only way to travel between the two is to fly.

The tribe in Kajo-Keji is called the Ku-Ku. The Archbishop has encouraged dioceses to group together according to their tribe and language in order that Christians can help and support each other easily. In the local Zande language they have a lovely word for the Mothers’ Union:
The Mothers’ Union is “Nerumbatayo” which means “the one who stands in front”

Until September, Kajo-Keji had not received any rain for 10 months. The harvests have all failed and as a result there is famine, with people eating what roots and berries they can find. Some people have died through lack of food. 

Kajo-Keji has many orphans due to the war. The Mothers’ Union is trying to care for them and keep them together, which is difficult with the very limited funds. We can pray for this work along with the basic needs of MU members in Kajo-Keji.

Return to OVERSEAS LINKS to discover news of our other links through the Mothers' Union 'Wave of Prayer'.

Visit our "HOME PAGE" to learn more
about the breadth of work done by the Mothers' Union in Winchester Diocese.