- A Report from Lillian to ICING About Our
Project Work
Introduction
The Project for Elementary education was initiated in 2002 to promote
education among displaced and impoverished children by paying the school
fees of orphans in schools for the displaced in the Khartoum environs.
The project accepts children whose parent, parents or guardians have
died of AIDS or have been incapacitated by HIV and whose surviving
relatives cannot afford to fund their education.
In 2008 two Together for Sudan projects, Teachers Training and Support
and Scholarships for HIV/AIDS Affected Children, were merged temporarily
in order to facilitate efficiency and monitoring. Ten schools for
displaced children were selected for partnership, each of which has ten
Together for Sudan sponsored scholars. The scholars are given free
tuition by the school in exchange for teachers’ training and payment of
salaries for two teachers for a period of nine months from July through
March.
Number of scholars
There were 101 scholars in the partner schools at the beginning of the
academic year in July 2010. However, the number had dropped to 74 by mid
February as the result of mass migration of southerners who feared
possible violence during the referendum exercise.
Project Monitoring
This project is monitored by unannounced visits to the schools at least
once a month. The schools’ administrators submit reports at the
beginning and end of the academic year as well as scholars’ performance
reports to the TfS office.
A monitoring visit was carried out in September and the following
statistics were obtained: the number of students in the ten schools was
3,602, number of teachers was 157 and the number of TfS supported
orphans was 101.
In December 2010 the TfS Country Coordinator visited the ten schools and
acquired the following information: the number of students had dropped
to 2,974, teachers to129 and sponsored orphans to 75.
In the first week of February, Rasha Ataya, a Syrian hired by TfS as a
project monitor, visited the schools and found that the number of
students was 1,984, number of teachers 125 and the number of sponsored
orphans was 62.
In the third week of February, the TfS Deputy Country Coordinator and
Matti Kay, daughter of the British Ambassador who volunteers for the
charity, visited the partner schools again to assess the situation. They
visited all the schools except Torit which was purportedly closed and
they found that the number of students in the nine schools was 2,127,
the number of teachers was 122 and the number of TfS scholars was 74.
A table showing numbers of students, teachers and scholars in the
partner schools Sept 2010 to Feb 2011
|
Monitoring Visits
|
No. of Students
|
No. of teachers
|
No. of scholars
|
|
First visit -
September
|
3,602
|
157
|
101
|
|
Second visit - December
|
2,974
|
129
|
75
|
|
Third visit -1st
week of Feb.
|
1,984
|
125
|
62
|
|
Forth visit – 3rd
week of Feb.
|
2,127
|
122
|
74
|
Although the schools face many challenges, there are indications that
most of them will open in the next academic year in July 2011. The
indicators are:
- There are many people from the Nuba Mountains, Darfur and Southern Blue Nile living in the areas where our partner schools are located so their children will likely register to study in these schools.
- Some southerners intend to stay in the north after July, the official date of South Sudan separation, if they are allowed to do so.
- Some of the schools are church schools which may continue to function even if the country splits.
Project impact
This project has contributed positively to the educational future of
many orphaned children. In 2009, five students passed the university
entrance examination and were admitted to study in universities. Ten
orphans are sitting for secondary entrance examination this month
(March) and some of them are expected to seek admission to secondary
schools in the next academic year
Anticipated constraints
- In the coming academic year, most partner schools are expected to
experience a remarkable drop in student’s and teachers’ numbers in
comparison to previous years. This will have negative financial and
academic effects on the schools as they entirely depend on the fees
collected from the students.
- if not all the partner schools were established by southerners or
by the churches and are registered under the umbrella of southern
Community Based Organizations (CBOs) which are considered National NGOs
at the moment. However, there is uncertainty as to what will happen to
the CBOs and the schools after 9 July 2011, the date of official
separation into two states.
- caretakers can not afford to buy uniforms and exercise books for
the orphans or to pay their examination fees.
Recommendations
- That teachers’ stipends in partner schools should continue to
supplement the fees collected from students to help keep the schools
running.
- That Together for Sudan arrange for teachers’ training before the next
school year begins targeting teachers from the north to prepare them to
take over the schools in case southerners are not allowed to stay after
separation.
- That Together for Sudan finds funding to buy uniforms and pay
examination fees for scholars whose caretakers can not afford to do so.
Conclusion
Together for Sudan is indebted to ICING for ongoing support for this
project. Without your sponsorship, the displaced and impoverished
children we support would not be able to continue their studies. Without
your help not only would the over 100 children directly targeted by the
project be negatively affected but several schools would likely close
with considerable negative impact on some 3,600 of the world’s most
needy children. Together for Sudan is most grateful for ICING support
for both scholarships and teacher training. We hope that with your help
the project will continue to benefit needy children whether they remain
in North Sudan or move to the South.
What you can do: Donations in any amount are much
appreciated. But please consider whether you are able to support work
such as this – and contribute to maintaining peace in Sudan – by
providing regular donations. Regular donations allow us to plan ahead
and work more effectively.
Contact us now :-
enquiries@togetherforsudan