History of CRESS UK

CRESS was founded in 2011 by Caroline Lamb, following her visit to Kajo Keji in 2009 with the Flame International charity. This visit left Caroline very moved by the plight of the people, lack of education and health provision and poor infrastructure.

During this first visit she was privileged to meet some influential people in South Sudan and was inspired by Bishop Anthony Poggo, the charismatic and energetic Bishop of Kajo Keji. Bishop Anthony became an early influential and committed supporter in the region and was key to the growth of CRESS UK in its early years. He now works in London as an Anglican Adviser to the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Upon returning home Caroline shared her vision with her local community of the Chalke Valley, Wiltshire, where she lives and started fundraising in earnest to help the people she had met. This community continues to support CRESS and the South Sudanese refugees who are now living in rural northern Uganda.

Listen to Caroline’s Podcast with Precept

Bishop Joseph Aba and Caroline

The Challenges

CRESS concentrated its work on the South Sudanese community of the Diocese of Kajo Keji; the South Sudanese Anglican Church was virtually the only structured and functioning organisation in the country. A significant partnership agreed in 2014 between CRESS and St James’ Church in Devizes, Wiltshire further strengthened the Anglican links between the Dioceses of Kajo Keji and those in South Wiltshire.

Several main challenges presented themselves to the development of self-support within this community:

Education
Initially, the education of the clergy children through UK sponsorship freed the clergy to be more available to work with CRESS and made a start on educating future leaders of the country. We now sponsor over 60 children in all stages of education. All of our Sponsors have a named child, and the children know who their sponsor is and write to them once a year. Sponsors are given a progress report annually and encouraged to send a gift which is delivered to their child during the annual trip to the region.
Medical Support
In September 2015 a Clinic was opened in Liwolo, providing health care in the area. The clinic employed a nurse, midwife, laboratory assistant and dispensing assistant. Solar power to the clinic meant medicines could be kept cool and investigative testing carried out on site.
Small Business
Helping small businesses is a vital element of CRESS work and we are particularly interested in working with the women of the community. One woman, Florence, set up her knitting business with one contract and has since secured two further contracts and opened a tea room! Other vocational training, such as vehicle mechanics, is provided as funds permit.
Clergy Support
The clergy carry a great burden in the support of their congregations. CRESS provides spiritual support and biblical education as a necessary aid to the clergy, mainly through an annual clergy conference, which in 2015 was attended by pastors from several dioceses and was held at the Kajo Keji Cathedral.

Civil War

However, in 2013 a civil war broke out in South Sudan. Initially, this did not affect the Diocese of Kajo Keji in the south of the country, but during 2017 it reached their area and virtually the whole local population fled over the nearby border into Northern Uganda and were dispersed into refugee and displaced persons camps. The work of CRESS came to an abrupt end within South Sudan and had to be re-established afresh in Northern Uganda in very different circumstances. Some facilities and programmes were saved:

    2017-2023

    CRESS was fully active again in Northern Uganda with clear business plans and procedures. The Vision of enabling community self-sufficiency remains intact. The emphasis for CRESS still on long-term development based on continuing personal contact.

    To this end CRESS funded

    • A primary health care clinic in Mijale with midwife, ultrasound and diagnostic services.
    • 13 Children’s Accelerated Trauma Therapy Counsellors trained who helped de-traumatise over 500 children each year.
    • Clinic outreach services including
      • Health training and malaria prevention
      • RUMPS (Reusable Menstrual PadS) training for girls and young women
      • Field midwife antenatal services with Mama Kits and mosquito net training
      • Eye screening and surgery
      • Dentistry
    • Training and support for 76 Savings groups who were supported by 13 Community Business Facilitators
    • Training and essential inputs for 48 of the 76 Savings groups to become Agriculture Groups and manage their own gardens with produce valuing of over £200K.
    • 7,000+ mostly fruit trees planted with training on how to look after and get the most from them. Good for the farmers and the environment.
    • Education support for over 80 students including resources and tuition during COVID lockdowns.
    • Installation of 5 Loud Speaker Systems, like local radio stations.
    • Supporting the Diocese of Liwolo infrastructure and funding their training, materials and outreach.

    The Future

    As of November 2023 CRESS, reacting to the development in Uganda and South Sudan decided to change it's longer name to CRESS (Christian Relief Education Skills and Sustainability) as this fits the location and the settling population we serve.

    If you would like to help us to continue supporting the South Sudanese refugees and local Ugandans, please get in touch with us or make a donation.

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