Here in Nimule, to attend school means paying school fees,
wearing school uniform, socks and shoes and buying the necessary
stationery. Children who arrive
incorrectly dressed or equipped are sent home, likewise if their school fees
are late. This is incredibly burdensome
to families who are struggling to live.
Children miss a lot of education through their family’s
poverty. There are many children who are
unable to attend school at all because of the cost. When I first arrived, it came as a big shock
to me to see this, even though I had known about it in theory. I looked into possibilities of helping
educate those most in need, who cannot afford to go to school but I was not able
to carry it forward at that time.
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| Sign for Pascalina's support group outside her market stall. |
Shortly after my initial efforts, I met a lady called
Pascalina. Pascalina has HIV and a
physical disability which leaves her on crutches and in permanent pain. Before the HIV diagnosis Pascalina was a
school teacher, but was unable to continue due to prejudice about her
illness. With the financial assistance
of a local church, she now has a small market stall where she supports herself and
her family selling sweets and other goods.
However Pascalina is the type of person who wants to give, not
receive. She is a spokesperson and
counsellor for an HIV support group at the hospital. She even holds additional counselling
sessions at her stall. Her clients are
all desperately poor and, like Pascalina, suffer discrimination which causes
additional hardship. In the past she has
also managed to find funds for the children of those disadvantaged families to
attend school but those donors have now pulled out with the excuse of the
conflict in South Sudan (although how this is related is inexplicable to
me). We are not in a conflict zone.
Pascalina had told me long ago that her dream was to start a
school herself for those she is trying to support.
Recently I made the decision to reduce my time at
Cornerstone School, although I will continue to help as before at the
children’s home. I suggested to
Pascalina that we set up a small informal school ourselves specifically for her
HIV group and others with disabilities. We
would teach adult literacy as an evening class and children’s school lessons in
the mornings. She was over the
moon.
Since then everything has been falling into place. A church called the Calvary Chapel has
donated its Sunday School rooms for our use during weekdays. As the hospital support group is called CECE
or Positive Living we decided to call the school CECE Learning. We visited the Town Council office last week
to discuss registering the school. They
told us to start first and when we know how many students we have, we should
let them know and officially register.
Once registered we will qualify to receive school textbooks. They will also carry out school inspections.
By good fortune, when I came back after spending Christmas
in England, I was loaded with donated books and learning materials (thank you
so much Hazel, Helena and Karen). I will
be able to use the materials I have at the home both in my new classes and at
the home without any difficulty, so this will not take away the original
donations to the home. It is now the end
of the first term, so we plan to start teaching at the start of the second term
which begins on 1st of June.
The other two charitable schools I know about in South Sudan
are starting from the other end of the social spectrum. They select their students on the basis of
past school achievement, age and in one case, gender. They are well funded and have purpose-built
western-style buildings with all mod cons, so that the schools are like a
glimpse of a more fortunate country. Much
as it is good to be improving standards here, I worry that this will increase
the gap between a very small minority who have already managed to find decent
education for their children previously, and the poorest, who are completely
uneducated and struggle to stay alive. To
me, this is an issue of social justice.
Clearly, my school will be very small and lack a lot of
things which a western school would regard as essential. However I have experience of teaching in
third world schools both in Sudan and South Sudan and have learnt to adjust to
what is possible.
From my own religious perspective, this is a ministry to the
poorest and most disadvantaged people in one of the poorest countries in the
world. These people are not reached by
the UN or other NGOs because they do not meet their criteria of living in
displacement or refugee camps and also because this is a long term project.
I have received some very helpful advice from a missionary
here that if I make the school completely free, it will not be treated with
respect and unreasonable demands will be made because of a perception that
money is no object! Many very worthwhile
projects have failed here because of this perception. He advised me to ask for a small registration
fee to show commitment. When I discussed
this with Pascalina, she was in complete agreement. She is going to hold a meeting with her
clients and will discuss the registration fee.
The money will be used for necessities such as chalk and other teaching
materials.
I am hoping to find someone to sponsor Pascalina’s salary. She has not asked for money as she has a true
vocation, however I know that things are very tough for her and her
family. If she is spending time
teaching, that is time away from earning money on her market stall. Rather pathetically, when I mentioned this
(as tactfully as I could) to her she said, ‘even some washing powder would be a
help’.
Your help with a salary for Pascalina would be very
gratefully received. I would like to pay
her 500 South Sudanese Pounds a month, the equivalent of US$50 or £32. If anyone can help with this new school on a
monthly basis, I would be very grateful indeed.
If you are able to set up a small standing order to Ms R Mallinson, Santander account
48996636, sort code 09-01-28, with reference CECE Learning, I would be most
grateful. Any additional funds will be
used for the benefit of the pupils, perhaps for providing a healthy break time
snack, materials and even a salary for an additional teacher.
Unfortunately I do not have a charity, so it is not possible
to increase donations by Gift Aid. If
anyone is able to help me by starting a supporting charity that would be
fantastic.
Please circulate this message as widely as you can.
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