December 2018 Renewal Secondary School Update
In 2018, Operation Broken Silence launched the Stand For Education Campaign, a fundraising movement focused on building the Renewal High School in Yida Refugee Camp, South Sudan. This marks the first update concerning the high school and is about how your fundraising and giving has put plans ahead of schedule.
Background
People in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan have been living in emergency conditions since June of 2011, when the government of Sudan launched a relentless campaign of terror and death against their communities. The Sudanese government has officially banned all aid and media organizations from the Nuba Mountains in an attempt to cover up their war crimes. The deteriorating situation here has become a forgotten conflict for much of the world. Click or tap the map for a visual.
A fragile ceasefire is currently in effect in the Nuba Mountains, but many expect it not to last.
Tens of thousands of children have fled the war and genocide in the Nuba Mountains and are sitting in refugee camps where not nearly enough educational services exist. Dozens of Nuba teachers have been unable to get back to work due to a lack of financial resources. Those that are working lack basic classroom items. This education crisis is an enormous long-term issue threatening the future of not only the Nuba people, but also all of Sudan.
Building and supporting classrooms, paying teacher salaries, and ensuring that children have access to a free education is one of our organization's top priorities. You can watch the Stand For Education campaign video to see what that actually looks like on the ground:
To date, 91 fundraisers, 232 donors, and 2 monthly recurring donors have worked togetherto fund the startup costs of The Renewal High School. Almost $15,000 has been raised and given already!
Construction on six classrooms, two teacher offices, and one library will begin in January 2019. This will make up the core of the school. More classrooms, a small lab, and one lecture hall are slated to be built between 2020-2022. Classroom walls will be made out of the traditional un-fired bricks that are common throughout Yida. It's nothing glamorous, but it gets the job done. The lecture hall can also be used as a space for teacher and community training needs in the future.
Materials that cannot be obtained in Yida are currently being procured in Juba and Kampala. This includes a small solar system, a computer and printer, tarps for roofing, cement, teacher guides and teacher textbooks, chalkboards, and more.
The school will be phased into existence, similar to how we have grown and supported the Endure Primary School in Yida. When The Renewal High School opens in 2019, the plan is for most components of the first three grades to be included. The final grade is slated to be added in 2020 as additional classrooms and materials are added. This phased approach also spreads out the fundraising burden on our organization, as well as provides our education coordinator additional time to work out kinks and additional teacher training needs at the school.
There is certainly a lot of work and long road ahead, but the process of making The Renewal High School a reality is now officially underway. Here are a few ways you can join us on this journey.
