South Sudan with Denise Pelley

In 2007 I made my first trip to South Sudan with a small NGO, Canadian Aid for Southern Sudan.  I have been traveling annually since then.  My main role while there is delivering a music and art camp to the children.  This past January we had over 400 children participate daily in the camp.  We sing, draw pictures, make pipe cleaner glasses, have fun with stickers and sometimes end the day with a parade around the village.

Visiting the same area year after year has allowed me to develop deep friendships with the people in the village of Gordhim.  One of my friendships is with a young woman who just had her first baby, a beautiful girl.  She asked me to give the baby her Christian name.  I was very touched by her ask.  I chose the name Grace.  

The music and art camp gives the children a few hours of fun, a few hours allowing them to be kids.  Many of them carry their younger sibling on their hip for the day, but that doesn't stop them from coming to camp.

Canadian Aid for South Sudan (CASS) is working to help the people of South Sudan rebuild their lives and communities after decades of brutal war. CASS has been involved raising funds to build schools, send children to school, rehabilitate former child soldiers, promote full gender equality and opportunity, support refugees and returnees, promote health, sanitation and clean water and help the woman with microenterprising projects.

I kindly ask your consideration in making a donation for the January 2018 Music and Art Camp.  Your donation will put smiles on the faces of many children.