Determined to learn despite the challenges
FEATURE STORY: Emad Eldin Ali Adam/ACT-Caritas
PUBLISHED: April 25, 2008
MERSHING, SOUTH DARFUR, SUDAN -- A large group of children gather in front of Um Gozein School in Mershing, South Darfur, filling the yard with the excited chatter of their young voices. They are lined up and eager to receive school kits being distributed by ACT-Caritas.
Mohammed Aldodo, Education Officer for ACT-Caritas in Nyala says, "The distribution of these school kits, which is an annual event, aims to meet the needs of these pupils to give them the materials they require to stay in school, as well as to encourage other children to enroll for school." Last month, more than 2,830 boys and girls in South Darfur received the cloth bag kits filled with exercise books, pencils, pencil sharpeners, erasers, pencil cases and mathematical instruments.
Hassan Omer Ali, headmaster of Hay al Maglis School in Mershing says, "These materials are really helpful to the students, especially to the orphaned displaced children. There are those who lost their fathers and mothers and almost every thing they used to own as a result of this war."
Fourteen-year-old Izdihar's face lights up as she says, "The exercise books are precious and will help me with my studies… This will help our families to save up for other things that we need." Izdihar, who is in sixth grade at Um Gozein School, was driven from her home village four years ago by the ongoing conflict.
Many of the students work during their school holidays in fields owned by host community families, and some go out to collect firewood in a forest far from the village, which they can sell in the market to help support their family.
Hamza Khaliel Adam, an 11-year-old boy in the fourth grade works on local farms during his school holidays in order to make enough money to cover some of his school expenses. With his new school kit in hand he smiles and shares, "I am glad that I am not going to have to buy exercise books or a bag."
Mohammed Seif Aldeen Ismaeil, headmaster of Um Gozein School, who has been teaching at the school for four years, said he was deeply moved by the assistance provided to his school and community. He, like many of the children attending his school, fled from his home village 30km northwest of Mershing four years ago.
On a recent visit to Hay al Maglis School, headmaster Mr. Omer Ali points to the classroom ceiling, which was recently blown down by the wind. He says these kinds of problems are reported to the educational council, which was supported and trained by ACT-Caritas. Although it cannot solve all the problems facing the school, the fifteen parent council does help with administration and works to create a comfortable learning environment for the children and teachers.
Mr. Aldodo stresses that "the success of each school is reliant upon the community. The aid agencies will not always be there, but the communities themselves will. Through educational councils many issues can be solved."
ACT-Caritas works with communities across South and West Darfur to support schools in the most appropriate ways possible. In camps for displaced people, schools are most often temporary and made of local materials including straw, bamboo and plastic sheeting. These schools are damaged by the rains on a yearly basis and need repairing after each rainy season. During 2007, ACT-Caritas rehabilitated three such temporary schools.
In areas of established settlement, with the necessary resources, it is possible to build permanent schools, which will be of long-term benefit to the community. ACT-Caritas, with the support of the local community, has now finished work on construction of a new permanent school at Um Gozein. This new school will be able to withstand the harsh sun and rain of the Darfurian climate, and will continue to be central to the life of the community for many years to come.
ACT-Caritas has been present in Mershing since 2004, working through its partner organisations, the Sudan Council of Churches (SCC) and Sudan Social Development Organisation (SUDO). ACT-Caritas is providing support not only through schools but also primary health services, water and sanitation, agricultural activities and community centres for several thousand displaced people living in Mershing, where they are struggling to maintain their livelihoods and to provide for their families.
Last month, ACT-Caritas distributed cloth bag kits filled with exercise books, pencils, pencil sharpeners, erasers, pencil cases and mathematical instruments to more than 2,830 boys and girls in South Darfur.
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