About Mama Hellen Lotara

Background

Hellen Lotara was born in 1958 in the village of Abara, South Sudan. Initially, her parents did not see education as a priority for Hellen because she was a girl. When Hellen was 10 years old, her uncle advocated for her and persuaded her parents to send her to school, where Hellen embraced education and excelled as a student.  

In 1985, Hellen earned a degree in Public Administration and Management from the University of Juba in South Sudan. Nine years later, she completed studies in Business Administration from the Kenya Institute of Management. Afterward, she served as South Sudan’s Under-Secretary of Labor, overseeing employment and industrial relations throughout the nation. She also served as the Director General of Labor and was responsible for industrial labor relations.  

Hellen is a founding member of the Justice and Peace Committee in Juba. Her experiences drive her to better the lives of children through high-quality education.  

Founding the Mama Hellen School

In 2013, Hellen Lotara founded the Mama Hellen School in Abara. For years, Hellen dedicated nearly all her financial resources to the school’s success, dreaming that one day she’d receive the support needed to recruit quality teachers and make improvements to the facilities. 

That dream became a reality in 2016, when Hellen joined family members who had relocated to Minnesota. Through connections with the Central MN Community Foundation, the League of Women’s Voters, Lathrop GPM attorneys, the St. Cloud Mission Office, and members of the South Sudanese community, Hellen built a network of volunteers and activists. This network became “Mama Hellen’s Team,” which works with school administrators to raise awareness and garner financial support for Mama Hellen’s School. 

In 2023, Hellen earned a master’s degree in educational administration and leadership at St. Cloud State University. She believes her advanced education will help her implement best practices at Mama Hellen School to ensure quality education, transparency, accountability, and student success.  

Hellen Lotara was born in 1958 in the village of Abara, South Sudan. Initially, her parents did not see education as a priority for Hellen because she was a girl. When Hellen was 10 years old, her uncle advocated for her and persuaded her parents to send her to school, where Hellen embraced education and excelled as a student.  

In 1985, Hellen earned a degree in Public Administration and Management from the University of Juba in South Sudan. Nine years later, she completed studies in Business Administration from the Kenya Institute of Management. Afterward, she served as South Sudan’s Under-Secretary of Labor, overseeing employment and industrial relations throughout the nation. She also served as the Director General of Labor and was responsible for industrial labor relations.  

Hellen is a founding member of the Justice and Peace Committee in Juba. Her experiences drive her to better the lives of children through high-quality education.  

In 2013, Hellen Lotara founded the Mama Hellen School in Abara. For years, Hellen dedicated nearly all her financial resources to the school’s success, dreaming that one day she’d receive the support needed to recruit quality teachers and make improvements to the facilities. 

That dream became a reality in 2016, when Hellen joined family members who had relocated to Minnesota. Through connections with the Central MN Community Foundation, the League of Women’s Voters, Lathrop GPM attorneys, the St. Cloud Mission Office, and members of the South Sudanese community, Hellen built a network of volunteers and activists. This network became “Mama Hellen’s Team,” which works with school administrators to raise awareness and garner financial support for Mama Hellen’s School. 

In 2023, Hellen earned a master’s degree in educational administration and leadership at St. Cloud State University. She believes her advanced education will help her implement best practices at Mama Hellen School to ensure quality education, transparency, accountability, and student success.