The Valentino Achak Deng Foundation Timeline

 

Summer 2007 — Valentino returns to Marial Bai, his home village, to consult the community and government leaders in the region to lay the groundwork for the project.

 
 

Early 2008 — Valentino returns to the region of Marial Bai to start construction on the secondary school and educational center on a large plot of land that was donated by the government, employing local architects and construction workers.

 
 

May 2009 — Marial Bai Secondary School (MBSS) opens as one of the first fully-functional high schools in the entire region, providing an opportunity for youth – especially girls – to receive an education past elementary school. Thousands of youth across South Sudan apply to enroll.

 
 

November 2011 — MBSS receives state-of-the-art science equipment from a university that closed. A library, community center, sports facilities, student dorms, a school farm, and teacher-training facilities are added to the campus.

 
 

February 2012 — Facilities expand at MBSS to accommodate 115 more girls and our first class of seniors graduate.

 
 

March 2012 — Organic farming and vocational training programs launch to teach students and community members the principles of agriculture, environmental stewardship, and sustainable commerce through hands-on experience.

 
 

October 2016 — The VAD Foundation and What Is The What turn 10 as Valentino continues to expand the impact of his work with the war-torn communities of South Sudan.

 
 

June 2018 — VAD Foundation opens its second campus, the Alok Girls’ Academy (AGA), to expand our commitment to girls’ education with an enrollment of 144 girls in the inaugural year.

 
 

February 2019 — The vision of AGA is to offer quality upper-primary school education as a bridge to secondary school for young women. Enrollment soars to 500 girls at AGA for grades

4-10.

 
 

June 2020 —

In response to COVID-19, The VAD Foundation has assembled the Coronavirus Awareness Task Force, led by Valentino Achak Deng, to educate communities on the importance of social distancing, mask-wearing, hand washing, and safe hygiene practices by conducting in-person training and demonstrations.

 
 

May 2021 — After conflict and pandemic-related damage to and looting of the Marial Bai and Alok Girls Academy school campuses, the VAD Foundation pivots to a Scholars Program in partnership with the prestigious Cornerstones Visions Academy in Aweil, South Sudan.

 
 

May 2024 — With a continued commitment to the community of Aweil, South Sudan, the VAD Foundation secures funding to begin the construction of the Bobby Newmyer Dining Hall and Auditorium, an educational and community space on the Cornerstones Vision Academy campus that will serve thousands of students and community members once open.