Giving real hope to girls through education

Deep in the North Eastern region of South Sudan, 602 kilometers from Juba, Sarah Phillip lives
with her family just a few hundred meters from the Jesuit Refugee Service Maban Field Office in
Bunj.
Sarah is currently enrolled in the JRS Adult Literacy program, for the second year now, against all
pressures from her husband who was initially against the idea of her joining the program.
Sarah, now 20, was married off three years ago when she was only 17. This made it difficult for
her to proceed with her regular schooling in one of the primary schools in Bunj. By then she was
in Primary 6.
She joined the JRS English program with the hope of increasing her level of English. This in turn
was to translate into better understanding of the teaching subjects in the primary school which she
rejoined last year. In most parts of South Sudan, there are no trained teachers and while the
language of instruction is English, in Maban County, Arabic language has had deep roots so much
so that most subjects are still being taught in Arabic. Oddly enough, the national examinations are
set in English. This is among the reasons that Sarah decided to join the JRS program.
She sat for her South Sudan Primary Leaving Examinations in December last year and now awaits
her results. If the security will remain stable, she will join secondary school this year and eventually
sit for her final secondary examinations in 2021.
She says she wants to complete her education and become a doctor so that she can assist her
community.
“I want to be a doctor when I finish school.” She confidently says.
In a society where child marriages are a norm and women looked down upon, Sarah has managed
to beat all odds to continue with her education.
Sarah is just among the many girls facing enormous challenges in accessing basic education.
With the challenges facing women in the Greater Maban County, in June last year, JRS decided to
start a female-only English Course uniquely tailored for women and girls. The course is meant to
ensure that there is a higher enrollment of girls and women into the program and hence increasing
their completion rates. This would also have a viral effect in the basic education as there will be
higher pass rates for girls in the primary schools.
*Rahab, 18, is one of the 81 beneficiaries of the course. She joined the female-only English Course
in August 2017 and graduated in December. Being a Primary 6 pupil in one of the government

*The second interviewee’s name (Rahab) has been changed for confidentiality purposes.
 public primary schools in Bunj, she has also been undergoing difficulties in grasping concepts in
class as the untrained teachers mostly use Arabic.
Despite all these, Rahab strongly believes that she is will sail through until she completes her
education. Throughout interview, she affirms her determination to continue until she completes all
the other four levels of the course.
She however decries the long distance to the center where JRS conducts its classes from; Arrupe
Learning Centre, which is approximately 6 kilometers from where she lives with her parents.
“The distance to center is too long to walk there four days in a week.” She says.
This means that her and many others who access the center for both the English and Computer
Courses travel an average of 10 kilometers per day for four days in a week! To encourage
participation, JRS has been offering transportation of a few female participants though there is still
a huge gap.
Apart from the English Courses, JRS Maban also offers a certified Teacher Training program,
Computer Courses and Psychosocial activities (Counselling, Day Care for children living with
disabilities)
*These are their real names. We can change the names as per their requests.

Some of the women who benefited from the female-only English Programs during the graduation held at the Arrupe Learning
Centre on 6th December, 2017. Photo/Nyamweya Omari:2017

*The second interviewee’s name (Rahab) has been changed for confidentiality purposes.
 Sarah during the interview at the JRS Maban Field Office. She wants to complete her studies and become a doctor.
Photo/Nyamweya Omari:2018

*The second interviewee’s name (Rahab) has been changed for confidentiality purposes.
 Learners during and English class. Photo/Gregory St. Arnold:2017

By Nyamweya Omari,
Education Coordinator,
JRS Maban-South Sudan.

Biodata:
Nyamweya Omari, 28, grew up in the cold Kisii Highlands of Kenya. Currently serving with the Jesuit
Refugee Service’s Maban Project-South Sudan as an Education Coordinator, Nyamweya has deep interest
in accompanying those at the margins and the suffering in the community. Before joining JRS South Sudan
in June 2017, Nyamweya worked in the same capacity with JRS Kenya in Kakuma Refugee Camp. I have
previously taught Communication and Journalism in Moi University and Laikipia College (Kenya).
I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Kiswahili (Languages) and currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in
Literature (Moi University) and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Education (University of Nairobi).

*The second interviewee’s name (Rahab) has been changed for confidentiality purposes.