EDUCATION ENABLES US TO DEVELOP LIKE OTHER COUNTRIES

The story of Ayen, 15, who is encouraged to remain in school and avoid child marriage through Save the Children Child friendly space. 

Ayen*, 15, outside her home in Akobo West, South Sudan

Akobo, South Sudan - Ayen*, aged 15, is one of six siblings of her parents. She attends our child-friendly space in her community in South Sudan, where children go to play games once school finishes. What she likes most about the CFS is playing volleyball – she’s a keen player.

She also attends an adolescents group where she learns about and discusses child marriage and sexual violence. It’s made her look out for other girls in her community and speak out for their rights and against child marriage.

She mentions a girl in her community who was being forced into early marriage before Save the Children intervened and persuaded her parents to call off the marriage and let their daughter continue her schooling – an outcome that really pleased Ayen.

She also goes to an adolescents group, where she learns about child marriage among other things. This has made her determined to avoid early marriage and complete her education. “It is good that a girl should not be married in her early age,” she says. “Now that education is here, let’s make sure that we all get educated to enable us develop our land like other countries.

“If you are a girl, don’t discourage yourself, saying in the future you will only be doing kitchen work. Education is the only thing that can bring together ladies and men.”

 Ayen’s story in her own words

“The thing I like most about the CFS is that it provides us with a space to play volleyball. Playing always makes my body active even if I am feeling tired when I start. I play at number 5 – that is at the centre and where the ball lands first,” says Ayen.  She went on to give reasons why she loved volley”.

“The reason why I love volleyball is that it is a sport which enables children to be active. If you go and play volleyball, you will not be dull or inactive. I have a teacher. His name is Buay and he teaches us English in the school. I like the way he teaches – he explains something until you get it”.

On how the CFS helps girls to avoid child marriage, she had the following to say;

 “There was a girl who was forced into marriage.She resisted the marriage saying that she was still in school. She was told to be married whether she likes it or not.”

“When the family were advised by the Save the Children staff, they took the advice and allowed her to continue with her studies.”

“Save the Children message has been that young girls should not be forced into marriage. They said’Do not deny your children to go to school because education is very important’.”

“Now that education is here, let’s make sure that we all get educated men, women and girls to enable us develop our land like other countries.”

 “The floods displaced us and took our house. The house was carried away by the water. We had to build another house.”

With support from the BHA, Save the Children opened child-friendly spaces, where children engage in various play activities, learn about child rights and receive counselling services. In addition, the caseworkers are able to identify children in need of care and protection who are then supported through the case management process.

Ayen’s understanding of Child marriage

Ayen*, 15, attends ((in yellow blouse ) ) an adolescents’ group where girls learn about issues like child marriage and gender-based violence.

“When you are married at an early age, you will suffer so much because the man who married may not have any capacity to help you. For example, you will find that the man will impregnate a girl and may do nothing to support the girl. You will stay helpless. It is a very big challenge for a girl married at the age of 13, 14 or even 15 because during the delivery of a baby, she might have a lot of difficulties in delivering successfully. It is a very bad situation.

I know of a girl who was forced into marriage, she was impregnated and forced to be married. She resisted the marriage saying that she was still in school. However, she was told to be married whether she likes it or not.

When Save the Children were in the community, they came across her case. When the family was advised by the Save the Children staff, they took the advice and allowed her to continue with her studies.She completed her studies and she is now working for an organisation. Save the Children came with a message that young girls should not be forced into marriage. Save the Children told us that, do not deny your children to go to school because education is very important.

From that message, her father did not continue forcing her into marriage. She continued with her studies and completed it successfully. She is now doing the same job the ladies who were passing the message about child marriage were doing. I was very happy the parents of that girl took the advice of the Save the Children staff. I was extremely happy. I know that my parents will not force me into marriage because they were witnesses.

Now that there is something called education that has come to us Nuer,it has taught us we should not continue following the life of our great grandparents whose duties were taking care of cattle in the cattle camps.

Ayen’s message to her community

Now that education is here, let’s make sure that we all get educated; men, women and girls to enable us develop our land like other countries. If you are a girl, don’t discourage yourself, saying that since you are a lady in the future you will only be doing kitchen work. Education is the only thing that can bring together ladies and men.

Ayen*, 15, (in yellow blouse ) playing volleyball with friends at a Child Friendly Space in Akobo West, South Sudan.

Background / Project information

 More than 7,600 people have benefitted from our BHA supported child protection services. We are supporting five child-friendly spaces (3 in Akobo West and 2 in Akobo east) attended by more than 4,000 children. Around 800 have been identified with various child protection needs and supported through case management services. Children in these areas have been exposed to multiple shocks including effects of climate change, conflicts and hunger. Perpetual violence where revenge killings are used to settle disputes between different ethnic groups, cattle rustling and walking long distances to access services are just some of the challenges facing children like Ayen in her community.

Interviewed Thomas Maguire/Save the Children

Story edited by Tito Justin & Evelia Antony/Save the Children