Welcome to the Padoc Area Scholars Society, a non-profit founded by Augustino Ting Mayai, one of the Lost Boys of Sudan, Bol Deng Akech, and Fran Roby in St. Paul, Minnesota. We help young people in South Sudan access education and change the trajectory of their lives and their country's future.
South Sudan is ranked as the #1 poorest country in the world with an annual per capita GDP of $455 (for comparison, Haiti is 21st with a GDP of $3,108). So your support here goes A LONG WAY to improving the lives of the young people we work with. Thank you for your visit to our website and we hope you'll join us!
PASS
A college scholarship to change the trajectories of youth in South Sudan.
Promoting the PASS scholarship to community leaders in Wau, South Sudan
Padoc Area Scholars Society (PASS) is a need and merit-based scholarship program for students who are residents of the Apuk Padoc and Murle communitites of South Sudan, who are pursuing 4-year university degrees and 3-year technical college degrees.
PASS Scholarships cover tuition, fees, books, and a small living allowance.
Donors can choose among several levels of sponsorships ranging from $24 to $98 per month.
Apuk Padoc is a community in Warrap State, and the Murle people live in Jonglei State. Both states are in South Sudan, the newest internationally recognized country in the world. Impacted by decades-long conflicts, these communities have been deprived of development opportunities for many years. Many of our youth are orphans. Many others suffer from PTSD as a result of experiencing traumatic violent events. South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011 after many years of civil war. South Sudan lacks basic infrastructure and has a minimally skilled workforce. Apuk Padoc and Murle communities have very low literacy rates and very high poverty rates.
There are virtually NO OTHER OPTIONS for college financial assistance other than the PASS scholarship program. If YOU don't help, NO ONE will... and these youth will be destined to experience the suffering and lack of hope that accompanies living in abject poverty.
Dr. Augustino Ting Mayai, one of the "Lostboys of Sudan" and co-founder of PASS, has dedicated his professional life to helping the people of South Sudan. He spends much of his year working in South Sudan on efforts including PASS.
In January, 2024, Augustino was appointed to a Cabinet level position in the National Government.
WHY CHOOSE PASS?
There are so many charities... How do I choose?
Thank you to our 2023-2024 sponsors and donors!
For the 2023-2024 school year PASS awarded 78 full-tuition scholarships as well as food and textbook stipends to all 78 students. The students are majoring in the following areas:
