Who We Are
From Civil War to Scholarship
PASS was founded in 2021 by Dr. Augustino Mayai - a former "Lost Boy of Sudan" and a leading voice for South Sudan’s development and Fran Roby, a lifelong educator from the US. Moved by the extreme poverty and educational neglect in South Sudan and witnessing firsthand how brilliant young people were left behind due to lack of opportunity, they created PASS to provide lasting pathways out of poverty through education and offer full-ride college scholarships to students who will otherwise never set foot in a university classroom.
With a shared belief in the power of youth, PASS has now grown from an idea into a national lifeline for students across the country and in refugee camps.
Our Mission
PASS supports South Sudanese youth, especially young women, to rise above extreme poverty through education, access, and opportunity.
Our Vision
PASS envisions a world where every South Sudanese youth has the education, access, and opportunity to rise above poverty and reach their full potential.
The Need - Why PASS Exists
South Sudan ranks as the #1 poorest country in the world. With a population of over 12 million, the World Bank estimates that over 80% of the population lives below the national poverty line.
Tens of thousands of youth graduate high school every year but have no access to college.
There are virtually no existing full ride scholarship programs for college-aged youth. PASS is currently the only way out for thousands of underserved but talented youth.
Without higher education, many young people are pulled into violent armed groups, early marriage or remain in cycles of generational poverty
PASS exists to interrupt that cycle and invest in the nation’s most powerful asset: its youth.
