The organization of DOR falls broadly under the control of four departments: Administration, Education, Pastoral and Health. All of the departments have their headquarters in Bethany House, central Nairobi, Kenya. Each department also has a local office in the Diocese of Rumbek.
Bethany House was acquired in 1994 by the late Bishop Caesar Mazzolari. It serves both as an administrative headquarters and as a haven in which those religious congregations working in the diocese may find peace and reflection.

The Administrative Department serves as the nerve centre of the Diocese. It advises, supervises and coordinates all the other departments and supports all the activities of the diocese in terms of financial administration, fund-raising and logistics.
The department is responsible for:

• Maintenance of donor/partner relations
• Supervision of all financial transactions
• Supervision of all logistical operations
• Resolution of all legal matters
• Supervision of human resources
• Provision of medical support to all personnel
• Provisional of all travel back-up for personnel and incoming guests

Given the size of the diocese, the lack of infrastructure and the challenges presented by civil strife and adverse weather conditions, our logistical challenge is complex. We have two logistical departments, one in Nairobi and one in Rumbek. Working in close cooperation, they are responsible for the procurement and shipping of all those items required for our educational, pastoral, evangelical and infrastructural programmes.

Due to the lack of resources in South Sudan, the majority of supplies are sourced in Kenya or Uganda. Items handled range from critically essential food supplies in times of famine to educational materials for our schools and training colleges. We also transport medical supplies for our hospitals and other health facilities and a wide range of technical equipment for our computer training programmes and radio stations.
Since our shipments travel by road and air, they depend on precision planning and the meticulous preparation of such export/import and taxation documentation as is necessary. The department is also responsible for the provision of security and logistical backup for our convoys and for our compounds (in both Rumbek and Kenya). The provision of medical evacuation also falls under the remit of this department as does the facilitation of travel for all our personnel including the provision of visas, accommodation, flights, and ground handling.

‘The mission of the Education Department is to nurture the development of the Christian person by means of the development of the spiritual, intellectual, social, cultural, emotional and physical gifts of the students entrusted to our care’.

We have eighteen diocesan-owned primary and secondary schools and assist nearly forty community-owned ‘satellite’ schools many of which have no buildings and operate with only open-air classrooms. We also provide a range of learning opportunities for youth and adult learners alike.

We believe that education is best provided working in close synchronicity with the local community. Thus, all our programmes depend on community-driven planning, implementation and monitoring. Our programmes range from the provision of teacher training to women’s empowerment; from classes in Better Parenting to classes on tailoring and agriculture. We also offer vocational training for those entering the Church, Dinka cultural studies and training in such diverse disciplines as conflict resolution, engineering, computers and water purification. We have a satellite campus of the Catholic University of South Sudan and a teacher training college. As such, we are the largest provider of education in the Greater Lakes and the Warrap States.

Amongst the many responsibilities of the department are:

• The construction and maintenance of classrooms
• The supply of educational materials
• The training of teachers
• Community and governmental liaison
• The financial management of the educational programmes
• The provision of meals for 50,000 children working in cooperation with the Scottish-based
• Charitable institution, Mary’s Meals.
• The establishment of Parent-Teacher Associations throughout the region

Our institutions are as follows:

• The Mazzolari Teacher Training Institute
• 18 Comboni primary schools
• Numerous Accelerated Learning Programme Centres that provide training for those who never went to school, and also for local unqualified teachers
• 7 kindergartens
• 37 satellite schools

We also have 4 vocational institutions.

Our Pastoral Department provides support for the religious personnel working in the field. Its remit is wide and includes everything from the provision of practicalities such as food, accommodation, transport and medical care to the maintenance of parish facilities and the education of those contemplating a life serving the church.

Amongst the many responsibilities of this department are:

• Provision of allowances and salaries
• Provision of transport (flights, vehicles, spare parts)
• Project management of donor funds and supervision of initiatives
• Provision of teaching materials in Dinka
• Training catechists, clergy and ecclesiastical lay staff in the field of evangelization
• The spiritual support of those in the field by means of retreats
• Providing for the needs of our churches in terms of liturgical requirements
• Hosting workshops, retreats and conferences.