Bishop Samuel and his wife Sentina (centre) with (left to right) Rotary President Derek Radley; the Rev Vanessa Herrick, Rector of Wimborne Minster; Sheila Soper, who recently visited South Sudan; Chris Tebbutt, Rector of Canford Magna and Rural Dean of Wimborne; and Rotary President Elect Alan Griffiths.
Bishop Samuel Peni, from Nzara in South Sudan, was recently guest speaker at Wimborne Rotary. He reported on the progress of improving the lives of local people in war-torn South Sudan and the recent formation of a new Rotary club there – only the second in the country.
He updated the club on the success of Wimborne Rotary’s micro-finance project which has already provided for more than 40 women to support their families through their new businesses and return the initial funds to benefit more.
In partnership with the Anglican Deanery of Wimborne, Rotary continues to raise money to provide the substantial funds needed to improve the future for the children of Nzara through better healthcare and educational facilities, with a Rotary event planned at the Minster on 4 June when former MP Robert Key is giving a talk on the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta.
Club President Derek Radley said, “We were delighted to welcome Bishop Samuel to Wimborne and to hear his first-hand account of how the funds provided by the Anglican Deanery and by Rotary are being put to good and effective use. A great deal remains to be done, and we shall continue to support this deserving cause.”
