Aim
The CCA’s aim is to provide regular and up-to-date information on the website about the Collo Kingdom in South Sudan. The CCA believes in service to our community, fairness, collaboration, and impacting the lives of our community through stewardship, transparency, equity, inclusion accountability, and honesty.
Mission Statement
The Collo Community Association promotes unity, cooperation, and understanding among the Collo people in the USA, the Collo Kingdom, and the Diaspora.
Vision Statement
To inspire and empower Collo people worldwide. The CCA’S vision is to help our people improve their lives through community empowerment, and this will help the community thrive. The Collo Community Association is dedicated to the empowerment of the people of the Collo Kingdom in the United States of America to promote unity among the Collo as well as to preserve and protect our diverse cultural heritage, rich customary values, educational and socio-economic progress.
About Us
Collo are a major Luo Nilotic ethnic group of South Sudan, living in the Collo Kingdom on both sides of the (Western and Eastern) White Nile River in Upper Nile state; its capital is called Pachodo, and the royal castle of the Collo King (Reth) is located there. Major cities are Malakal, Kodok, Renk, Wadakona, Melut, Tonga, Dolebhill, and Atar.
Motto:
Culture
To encourage, promote, and preserve Collo knowledge of cultural norms, history, and traditional folklore among the next Collo generations.
Community
Community events include the CCA’s Annual Cultural Conference Day every Fourth of July as well as fundraising.
Collo Youth Day
The activities of the CCA’s youth, the names of the youth committee members, the Collo youth history contest as well as any valuable activities from Collo youth in Collo land and other parts of the world will be presented. The activities of the CCA’s youth, the names of the youth committee, Collo youth history contest as well as any valuable activities from Collo youth in Collo land and other parts of the world will be presented. The CCA believes it is necessary to equip young people to know their culture and roots. The CCA is excited to announce that every fourth of July during the annual conference, our youth will have a Collo history contest as a way to determine how well our young people know their history, and whoever wins will be given a small award. A panel of elders will be chosen to moderate the contest. We encourage all Collo youth from middle school and high school to participate in the Collo history contest. The guidelines and outline for the Collo history
contest will be distributed 3 months prior to the Collo Conference Day for those who are interested in conducting research based on the guidelines.
Education
A brief history, pictures, and videos which present the condition of the educational system in the Collo kingdom. It is well documented that only 48 percent of South Sudan’s youth are literate according to the World Bank, 2020. The country has experienced an enormous amount of violence since gaining its independence in 2011. In addition, natural disasters and financial barriers prevent children and youth from completing their education. An education is a fundamental human right and is essential for the development of individuals and societies. The CCA believes in making quality education accessible to all the children, so they can reach their full potential and help to break the cycle of poverty. The CCA will try its best to empower individuals to participate fully in their communities and contribute to the overall development of the nation. In South Sudan, the quality of education is substandard due to violence and wars, and a high percentage of students fail to meet basic learning standards. Furthermore, according to UNESCO, only about 35% of primary school teachers in South Sudan have received any form of teacher training, and only 40% of primary schools have any trained teachers at all. A lack of teacher training programs and opportunities in the country has contributed to this, with many aspiring teachers restricted from access due to financial, educational, or geographic barriers. In addition, according to UNICEF, when the war broke out in Malakal, the entire city was looted and the violence in the city has left many children without access to education. Other barriers the Collo children face to receiving an education include school tuition and fees, insecurity, and a lack of peace. The Human Rights Watch estimated 2.8 million children in South Sudan – a shocking 70 percent of all school-age children in the country – are not attending primary or secondary school! Education can open many doors for young Collo children who have the knowledge and skills needed to thrive and contribute to their communities, so the CCA is appealing to all people of goodwill to support us in meeting our goal of providing every village child in the Collo Kingdom with an education. Possessing an education will help many children thrive, earn more money, and escape poverty. An education will provide young people with essential information needed regarding physical, mental, and emotional health and development. By working to increase access to education, the CCA can prevent child labor, child marriage, sexual violence, trafficking, and forceful army recruitment of children.
Health
The CCA will share information including literature, pictures, and videos that describe the health situation in Collo land. The CCA would like to share some information below including literature, pictures, and videos that describe the health situation in Collo land. Since Sudan’s long decades of civil wars ended in 2005, the Collo Kingdom’s population has lacked access to essential health services, safe water, and sanitation. For example, nearly 75% of all children’s deaths in South Sudan are due to preventable conditions such as diarrhea, malaria, and pneumonia. This has led to the country’s high infant mortality rates, with 96 infant deaths per 1,000 births. It has been documented by many organizations that access and use of health services remain limited in South Sudan with less than 44% of the population in South Sudan living within reach of health facilities and having consistent access to primary care services. The most common known health problems in South Sudan for all age groups across states were found to be malaria, typhoid, and pneumonia, with respondents saying that a large portion of the population suffers from chronic cough and/or diarrhea. The CCA’S main focus is the vulnerable populations in the rural areas of the Collo Kingdom, where the community health workers can help provide healthcare services as well as link with health facilities in the areas with access to primary care services.
Music & Videos
The videos and music of the Collo, cultural dances, and celebrations from some of its yearly Cultural Day Conferences (as well as the works of other artists and singers of the world) will be presented.
Donate
We ask individuals and organizations to help us achieve our goals by donating any amount of money to help improve the health, education, and hunger situations in Collo land and to empower young people who are less privileged. Your donation can be deducted from your income tax because we are registered as a non-profit.
Volunteers
We invite the members and friends of the Collo community to contribute ideas or any in-kind services to improve the quality of life of the Collo people.