Sharing Stories of Hope and Leadership
Since first getting involved in 2013, Greece Athena Middle School teacher Vicki Richardson and her students have raised funds to support Water for South Sudan (WFSS). Their collective efforts have helped replace a drilling rig and construct five wells, each providing clean water for 500 to 1,000 people. This long-standing partnership reached a new milestone this December when Richardson traveled to South Sudan to document the impact of these wells and share stories of resilience and hope from the communities they serve.
Richardson’s involvement with WFSS was inspired by the story of founder Salva Dut, one of Sudan’s former “Lost Boys” who rebuilt his life in Rochester and established the nonprofit to bring clean water to his home country. In 2013, Greece seventh graders began reading A Long Walk to Water, the book chronicling Dut’s journey. Motivated by the story, Athena Middle School students launched annual fundraising efforts and joined the WFSS Iron Giraffe Challenge, contributing to well construction and maintenance efforts led by South Sudanese community members.
Richardson’s role with the organization has grown steadily. She joined the WFSS Board in 2019 and became Vice President in 2024. This month, she traveled with WFSS Executive Director Shannon Hesel to witness the organization’s work firsthand and capture interviews, photos, and videos for use on WFSS’s website (https://www.waterforsouthsudan.org) and social media.
“I want to show just how resilient and strong these communities are,” Richardson said. “When people think of South Sudan, they often think of crisis. But Water for South Sudan helps build peace, providing clean water that allows communities to come together rather than compete over a basic resource.”
Donations to support Athena Middle School’s continued partnership with WFSS can be made at https://secure.givelively.org/teams/water-for-south-sudan-inc/iron-giraffe-challenge-2026/greece-athena-middle-school.
Salva Dut and Vicki Richardson.
