MAF brought PEACE International representatives to Adjumani for a ceremony celebrating the success of young people who have fled conflict in South Sudan.
Growing up in a refugee camp in Uganda, Akech knows education will be his key to a brighter future.
“When I study, I’ll be in a position to help my family. I want to build a house for my mother and help her raise my other siblings,” he said.
‘‘I want to be an engineer. When I see people working with electricity, I admire them and I feel like I want to be like them.”
The 14-year-old, whose family fled to Uganda from South Sudan, was part of a group of students graduating from a school run by PEACE (Partnerships in East Africa for Community Empowerment) International inside a refugee camp.
South Sudan has faced ongoing conflict, resulting in widespread displacement and humanitarian crises, which have led many families to seek refuge across the border in Uganda.
PEACE International focuses on educating children, equipping leaders, and empowering women.
The program provides quality education, trauma care, and two meals a day t o over 850 South Sudanese and Ugandan children from Pre-Kindergarten to 7th grade.
"Education is the key to shaping the lives of refugees because they will sit around the table and discuss issues instead of engaging in physical wars. Education is a change agent and an agent of peace as we pursue a Christ-centred education for the students,” Rosemary said.
Akech is motivated to pursue his education and his mother Achol Bol Mabior, a widow, is determined to support him, despite physical struggles. She wanted to start sewing clothes to raise money to send her son back to school for secondary education, but she can only see with one eye.
“I used to do a lot of work, but now my energy has reduced. I want to start sewing clothes and save a little each day for this boy to go back to school,’’ she said.
Achol said that her husband was shot during the conflict, and that is why it will be hard for them to go back to South Sudan. However, her husband lives on through her only son, in whom she put her hope.
“This is the only boy among the six girls. In the future, he will help me to do the work that men do since I am a widow. My trust is in this boy because he’ll help me in the future,’’ she said.
‘‘I want my children to study because I didn’t get a chance to study; I would like them to study and help their siblings.”
Women are playing a critical role in educating their children.
Martha Aboul is the mother of 15-year-old Dau Kuir, one of the students who graduated from Grade 7.
Her husband had an accident that left him with head injuries, and he is receiving treatment in South Sudan.
Martha knows that her child will not only help the family but the entire community as well.
She firmly believes that an educated person can redeem the community.
‘‘A person who’s educated can help the whole community, but if you’re not educated, you are on your own – you cannot help anybody,’’ she said.
Dau Kuir recalls the challenges he went through while studying under scarcity and lack, but despite all that, he emerged victorious.
"I would come back home and want to read, but there's no light. So, I would go back to school to read at night. And that's how I was able to pass,’’ he said.
‘‘In the future, if I become a doctor, I will heal very many people who are suffering. Like my father, who’s very sick in South Sudan.”
Among the graduates, 14-year-old Nun Reng shared his dream for the future.
“I want to become a doctor because I want to help people in the community and earn a good living for my family,” he said.
MAF has supported PEACE International for several years, facilitating the transportation of over 1,000 New Testaments for students and Bibles for church leaders from Kajjansi to Adjumani. Additionally, MAF has flown PEACE International’s church partners multiple times to provide training for teachers, women, and pastors in trauma healing and peacebuilding.
This demonstrates some of MAF’s efforts to support refugees.
“Refugee camps are some of my most favourite places in the world because there you find the best and worst of humanity coming together. People who have lost hope, being served by those who are giving their lives to bring hope!’’ Ruth Jack, MAF’s Country Director in Uganda.
‘‘Our partners have continually expressed how important our flights are to them because they make their work a lot easier and more efficient.’
PHOTOS / ANNET NABBANJA STORY / EMILY DAVIES