Mary Walkinshaw

Mary Walkinshaw was guest speaker at club's meeting on 22nd August.
Mary visited South Sudan as a teacher trainer summer school for two months.
South Sudan is the newest country in the world. Officially 193rd country in the world.
Prior to 1956 Sudan administered by both England and Egypt.
Independence granted in 1956. Post 1956 Sudan and South Sudan were at war for 40 years.
In 2005 peace brokered. 98.83% voted for independence for South Sudan, with capital Juba.
North is Arab,  Arabic language, Islamic religion, South is African with English the main language, mainly Christian.
98% of South Sudan economy dependent on oil, with 75% of oil in South refined in the North.
In July 2011 independence granted with 10 states based on tribal regions.
Civil war broke out 18 months after independence, with 7 cease-fires declared.
As a solution the 10 states were divided into 28.
Two thirds of country need aid.
In 2005 Catholic Bishops of South Sudan asked help from Vatican with teacher training, nurse training, agriculture training and pastoral training.
In January 2016 Mary became a teacher trainer in Abyei. Students were current teachers attending summer school to work towards graduation. Subjects taught included English, Maths, Science, Social Studies and Religion, Professional studies. 67 teachers graduated after 4 years of summer school.
Only 32% of population are literate with a ratio of 1 teacher to 85 students in a class.