By Alex Bimo and Sr. Henriette Anne, FSSA
The Christian community of Corpus Christi Parish officially received the newly constructed classrooms at St. Peter Nursery and Primary School. The long-awaited facility, constructed by ICODO with funding from Caritas Austria, was inaugurated in a colorful and spiritual ceremony led by Bishop Eduardo Hiiboro Kusala of the Catholic Diocese of Tombura-Yambio (CDTY).
“This school is not just a building it is a place where the future of Gangura will be shaped”, said bishop Hiiboro. “Let us all take responsibility in caring for it and ensuring our children benefit from the education it offers”.
Christopher Botu, Deputy Director of Caritas Austria’s Yambio office, praised Bishop Hiiboro’s leadership and vision in bringing the organization’s support to Western Equatoria. He reaffirmed Caritas’s commitment to partnering with the Church in improving education and social services in the region.
Fr. Ezekiel Sungurukuari, the Parish Priest of Corpus Christi Gangura, expressed his gratitude to the Payam administration for allocating land for the school. He emphasized that the institution offers much-needed quality education to learners in the area.
Patrick Gamboripai, Chairperson of the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) at St. Peter School, described the establishment of the school as “a savior” for the Payam. “This is the only school that now provides quality learning in Gangura. We are deeply thankful to Caritas Austria and the CDTY for this gift to our children,” Gamboripai said.
The school has already enrolled 434 pupils for the current academic year, a promising sign of the community’s eagerness to embrace education.
In his message shared with Rurugene Online Newsletter, bishop Eduardo thanked the people of Vienna through Caritas Austria for providing learning services for their children in the Payam stressing that it is one of the well-organized in school in Payam
“We are grateful to the people of Vienna through Caritas Austria for providing a learning space for our children in this Payam,” Bishop Eduardo stated during the handover ceremony. “This is just one of the only leading and well-organized primary schools in the Payam.”
He urged the parents and all stakeholders in Gangura Payam to work hand in hand with Fr. Ezekiel to see that St. Peter grows into a school of promise, a school of hope, and a school of progress.
“I want to urge the parents and all the stakeholders in Gangura Payam to put their hands together around this school with Fr. Ezekiel to see that this school grows into a school of promise, a school of hope, and a school of progress”, bishop Eduardo added.
