Sudan – Comboni College Khartoum starts anew

On October 19, 2026, Comboni College Khartoum’s basic section, made of primary and intermediate classes, has officially started the new academic year in a simple but meaningful ceremony.

We even had the visit of a small group belonging to army band who cheered us all up. Pupils were thrilled and most amused.

We are striving. It is not an easy effort to carry out. We have still some organisation challenges, because the school has Arabic and English streams.

We had to install a new solar system to provide power and light to classrooms, but it is not enough. We are trying to tap on to the city electric supply which is not an easy task: the copper wirings were stolen.

Restoration and redecoration have been done at great expense. The equipment was charred, useless. Toilets, piping, water tanks, pumps, etc. had to be renovated. Thank God we have a team of workers who are very committed and support us all the time.

I would like to make a special reference to the silent work of Fr. Diego Dalle Carbonare, our provincial superior. He had the patience to work in the restoration and provided financial means from friends and benefactors from Italy, Germany and several other countries and entities who are supporting these efforts of reconstruction.

Fr. Diego is the driving force behind all of us, Comboni Missionaries, to come back to Khartoum, and he continues to inspire and encourage other religious congregations to return to the Sudanese capital.

In fact, on October17, he was awarded in Italy the “Cuore Amico” prize for all his efforts in the humanitarian and religious rehabilitation of Sudan.

The ceremony was held in Brescia, promoted by the “Association Cuore Amico”.

He shared the honour with other two missionaries: Sr. Beatrice Loda, working in Oceania, and Ms. Stefania Cremaschini, medical lay person working in the health sector in Peru.

I ask for your prayers and support. It is not easy to work as witnesses in the middle of a Muslim environment.

We feel we are representing you, our friends, as collaborators on God’s mission among all the peoples of good will.

We do not want to convert anyone. We want to be a sign of God’s love in the midst of so much violence and hate. May God bless you all.

Fr. Roy Carlos Zúñiga Paredes, MCCJ