Juba, 22 February, 2020 / 3:46 am (ACI Africa).
The U.S. Ambassador to the world’s youngest nation, South Sudan, Thomas Hushek, during his recent visit to an education and health facility run by members of the Institute for the Blessed Virgin Mary, popularly known as Loreto Sisters, commended the nuns for their work in keeping girls in the troubled country in school.
During the visit Wednesday, February 19, Amb. Hushek toured all projects run by the nuns including the recently launched clinic and malnutrition programme established for mothers and babies, a primary school as well as a girls’ secondary school with boarding facilities in the country’s Catholic Diocese of Rumbek.
Addressing girls at the facility, the U.S. diplomat encouraged the girls to be courageous in the face of discrimination against girls in their country, alluding to the example of his own sisters back in the U.S.
“Growing up in the U.S., I saw a lot of discrimination and limitations placed on women and girls,” Amb. Hushek said and added, “There was no state sports team for the girls so my mother organized a team and my sisters travelled to other states and did very well in sports.”
He added, “Loreto has a nice model for young girls in South Sudan because the girls are taught to be united from various communities.”