My goal is to achieve harmony and peace in Sudan: this multi-cultural, multi-ethnic and multi-religious country.

Bruna Siricio Iro (46) is a coordinator of the Sudanese Women Research & Development, which was established in 1996. She completed her basic education in Numuli, South Sudan, obtained a Bsc from the Faculty of Economics, Juba University, and in 1992 a Masters in 'Development Planning' from the University of Khartoum. She is affiliated to many social associations and academic institutions working in economic development, such as Education for All (EFA) and United Nations Millennium Development Goal (MDG). Her focus is on peace promotion, education, women's empowerment and fighting HIV/Aids.

By the time Bruna Iro began working in the area of Bahr El Ghazal in Sudan, the civil war in the country was at its peak. Human rights were being appallingly violated, arbitrary arrests were very common and the trafficking and abduction of women and children was extremely widespread. Under such circumstances Bruna was ready to help establish a Committee for the Elimination of Abduction of Women and Children (CEAWC). The impacts on her work of crucial challenges, such as ethnic, cultural and religious diversity, have obstructed her commitment as chairwoman of the Christian Women Justice and Peace Committee emanating from Sudan's Council of Churches (SCC). Bruna Iro has worked hard to match the programs of the committee with the aims of the national Islamic constitution in the Sudan. She used to run a school that educates both Muslim and Christian children. The outstanding success of the school has raised suspicion about it being a center for missionary activities that seek to convert Muslim children to Christianity. As a result, some parents began to prevent their children from going to the school. But, Bruna quietly met with those parents and successfully resolved the issue through dialogue. Not having regular funding resources to support her projects, she relied on charitable funds, with which she ran the school. Sometimes donations fell short and she had to suspend the services. Among the improvements is the resettlement of Internally Displaced People (IDP) and various activities, such as building new schools, improving healthcare services, raising funds for drinking water projects with the help of local and international bodies, NGOs, Community Based Organizations (CBOs) and churches.

Sudanese Women Research & Development (SWRD) Sudan’s Council of Churches (SCC)