Christian Mission Aid
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CMA’s
Education Program in South Sudan. The
ongoing civil war in South Sudan continues to cause agony, “Children
are the hope of a better future in South Sudan.”
CMA
has four Sudanese trainers assisting with the training, who work closely with
the CMA Education coordinator, Aloys, covering topics from a well-planned
curriculum to ensure the teachers receive the best training possible. Their goal
is to train and equip teachers for greater self-reliance in serving their
communities for a better future. With
the help of the community and volunteers, a classroom was constructed so the
teachers would not have to hold their classes out in the scorching sun. 70
teachers attended the training course, some walking for days The
teachers all participate in the class by presenting and reading papers they have
prepared for the class, some using drama, singing songs and other activities
that are all used throughout
the course to develop their teaching skills.
Langken
Primary School is the only school in the area where over 1,000 enthusiastic
children attend classes when they have a chance. Unfortunately other duties often take priority.
During the dry season the boys go off with the cattle for months in
search of drinking water. Girls are seldom able to attend school because of the
domestic work at home - carrying water and firewood, taking care of the small
children, planting and cultivating in the home gardens during the rainy season. It’s
a great time when all can come and learn. The children are eager to listen and
learn and are very happy when they can attend school. They know the only hope for them is an education, and many of
them too have dreams of growing up in Too
many students for the few classrooms built, but that doesn’t stop them from
holding classes - they just simply hold classes out in the open, under any
little shade they may find.
Community Health Workers The
Education program has also proven to be a very complimentary project to run
along side the major CMA health programs already being implemented in the Upper
Nile region. Lack of education has
certainly shown in the low comprehension and communication levels of the
Community Health workers and has hampered the quality of training the CMA nurses
are able to give them, simply due to their low literacy level.
Translators are used during the health teaching and patient care, but in
the Upper Nile even translators with a good understanding of the English
language are difficult to find. Through
the education program, an intensive course in English was given which has
greatly improved the communication between the nurses and the health workers. Through
our efforts in the education program in South Sudan, the people now more than
ever know what it feels like to be able to expand their minds and learn new
things, this has created an enthusiasm for more. Education is one of the most
important foundations for the future of South Sudan.
Economic advancement,
developments in health, improvement in living conditions, as well as the
elimination of abuses and exploitation cannot come about without first
developing an educated community. With
a new and expanded education program, CMA hopes to address the widespread
illiteracy among the large number of uneducated adults and children, and to
ensure that skilled people become available for the development of the area. There is a great need for education and CMA is ready to meet the many challenges to do it. We have gone this far - we will go even further to help educate Sudanese people who realize now that education is the “key” that opens many doors and wonderful possibilities. Want to help? Contact us at: Africa@CMAid.org
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Children
are seen everywhere in the villages in South Sudan, but unfortunately most of
them do not have the opportunity to attend school. CMA hopes to change that in
the future. 
from
the outlying villages to attend the nine-month intensive training course, with
an additional three months of practical training, teaching students in their
home villages. Being away from family and friends are just a few of the
sacrifices they are willing to go through in order to receive more training and
skills in teaching.
Singing
while pointing to each part of the body mentioned in the song is a good way to
teach children the parts of the body in English.
a
better world- a world of peace.