Chickens and Change: The Power of Community Ownership in South Sudan's Schools
The Payak Primary School in South Sudan stands as a shining example of how community ownership can revolutionise local education. Through the Girls’ Education South Sudan (GESS) programme, Windle Trust International has helped to support the school community to come together, raising funds and resources to improve their school's facilities. This inspiring story underlines the potential power communities have in transforming their local schools and the education of their children.
Demonstrating a strong sense of duty and community spirit, the School Management Committee (SMC) of Payak Primary School organised a vibrant fundraising event on 25th June 2023. Both the Chairperson of the SMC and the School Head Teacher rallied their community with a single purpose in mind - to raise crucial funds for the school's development. The event was a testament to their dedication, successfully raising 1,495,000 SSP (equivalent to US$1,400) and an additional US$200 in cash. The generosity of the community was not limited to monetary contributions. Despite personal struggles, community members gave what they could, donating tree poles, chickens, goats, sorghum, sugar, lentils, and cooking oil to support the school. Their willingness to contribute was heartening, with everyone stepping forward, including a four-year-old boy who offered his chicken as a contribution towards the school's growth.
Every little helps: A brave 4-year-old donates his own chicken to support his school in South Sudan.
Integral to this communal triumph is the support of Windle Trust International (WTI), as a key partner of Girls’ Education South Sudan (GESS) programme. WTI's role involves cultivating a sense of ownership within school communities, underlining that schools are community assets, not government entities, primarily because it's their children who go to the schools. As an implementer of the GESS programme, WTI works with school communities ensure they have the necessary structures in place look after their schools. Windle Trust International organises elections for school management committees (SMCs) and provides them with the training they need to fulfil their roles and responsibilities effectively. These responsibilities extend from ensuring a safe learning environment for pupils to understanding how to raise and manage local school resources.
“This money is going to bring transformative change to the school from today onward.”
While the funds raised may seem modest, they represent a significant milestone in WTI's efforts to get communities to own their schools. The SMC Chairperson emphasised, "This money is going to bring transformative change to the school from today onward." He outlined that the funds would be utilised to construct two additional temporary classrooms, secure the school premises with fencing, and purchase chalkboards. The Chairperson stressed that these improvements would enhance the quality of teaching and learning, as each class would now have its own chalkboard, eliminating the past practice of rotating two chalkboards across the school, which sometimes limited classes to one lesson per day.
WTI’s Leer County School Officer, Mr. Guet Mabil speaking at the fundraising event.
The successful fundraising event was met with delight by WTI Leer County staff member Mr. Guet Mabil. He envisions a promising future if all communities in Unity State could emulate the example set by the SMC of Payak Primary School. He believes that such local resource mobilisation for education could revolutionise the way education is perceived and managed in the region. Mabil is heartened by the growing understanding among community members, particularly parents, about their essential roles in the education of their children.
The GESS programme receives funding through UK aid from the UK Government, the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the European Union and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida).