Opening the door to education in Sudan

Rawan Kara

As soon as Siddiga arrived home with the backpack, she could see the excitement in her niece’s eyes. Siddiga had just received the school bag from a Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) distribution at Al Salam Village School, on the outskirts of Khartoum, Sudan, where she is a teacher.

“My niece latched onto my leg until she took the bag. She was so happy,” says Siddiga.

Siddiga and her niece are among the 11,000 students and 180 teachers benefitting from an education project run by NRC, with generous assistance from European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO). The goal is to help improve access to education for children in communities on the outskirts of Khartoum affected by displacement.

In addition to distributing school materials, the project has rehabilitated school buildings, upgraded latrines, and established handwashing facilities to support the safe re-opening of schools amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.

Needs are mounting

Since the 1970s, Khartoum has been a destination for migrants and refugees from neighbouring countries, as well as people displaced within Sudan who are seeking safety and protection.

As an economic centre of Sudan and northern Africa, Khartoum has seen huge population growth, particularly on its outskirts. But services haven’t kept up with the population boom, leading to mounting social needs in the community.

Trouble accessing education

Education, healthcare and other services remain clustered in Khartoum’s centre and are scarce in the surrounding areas. Formal schools are often overcrowded, and government support has dwindled. The economic crisis in Sudan means even less money for schools. Skyrocketing inflation of 422 per cent means that parents struggle to afford school fees.

“When families don’t have sufficient resources to buy food, usually education is not a priority,” said Catherine Mercy, NRC Sudan’s education programme development manager.

“If accessing education causes families to spend money on notebooks, bags, and other things, the child will sit at home. We provide some of these materials that help families send their children to school.”

Source: Norwegian Refugee Council