• Sudan
• What we do
• Partners
• In brief
• Read more

Sudan

Determined to learn despite the challenges

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."

Children in Darfur. Photo: Helge Opseth

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.

By Emad Eldin Ali Adam/ACT-Caritas