Uganda & South Sudan:

Uganda currently hosts 1.3 million refugees and asylum-seekers, most from war-torn South Sudan and DR Congo.  It’s the largest refugee crisis in Africa and there are significant challenges in the refugee settlements, including access to education.  In South Sudan, the war has left many children out of school, the schools often having been destroyed through the fighting.

Refugee Education:

Since 2017, when HHA first started responding to the refugee crisis in Uganda, education has consistently been cited as a critical need. Many children were meeting under trees, in schools that had no toilets and a teacher to child ratio, in some schools, of 1 teacher to 360+ children. Even in 2019, in one of the settlements where we work, 92% of secondary school girls weren’t enrolled in school.

For those children who have remained in South Sudan, the situation is no better. According to UNICEF, some 2 million (over 70%) children in South Sudan are out of school. This is a bleak reality for the future, when you consider that a baby born to an educated mother has a 50% higher chance of survival.

As part of our emergency refugee response we have subsequently been helping 3 schools for refugees in Uganda and 5 schools in South Sudan. Our support has included improving sanitation through new toilet facilities.  We have also supported the renovation of a secondary school, including providing solar energy, a girls dormitory and the building of 3 new classrooms for Amazing Grace Primary School.  We’ve also equipped schools with materials, solar power and furniture and provided teacher training courses and 'sports for peace' programs.  Through these projects we’ve seen more children educated and the standard of education significantly improve.

South Sudan Emergency Appeal - HHA from Hope Health Action on Vimeo.

East Africa Refugee Crisis - School for young refugees from Hope Health Action on Vimeo.