Ariang History
1990
Ariang School Founded (in the 1990s)
In the midst of a civil war between North and South Sudan, the Ariang community saw the need for education for their children. Through community efforts, Ariang School was founded in the 1990s to provide basic elementary education to hundreds of children in Ariang and surrounding villages. However, Attacks by..Read More
Ariang School founded (1990s)
In the midst of civil war between North and South Sudan, the Ariang community saw the need for education for their children. Through community efforts, Ariang School was founded in the 1990s to provide basic elementary education to hundreds of children in Ariang and surrounding villages. However, Attacks by North..Read More
2007
Gabriel Bol Deng returns home
In 2007 when Gabriel Bol Deng first returned to his native village of Ariang after twenty years, he found this community school under the trees. Gabriel saw the challenges that the community faced in educating their children. Lack of trained teachers and instructional materials for students and staff were among..Read More
2008
A Collective Effort (2007-2009)
Upon returning to the United States, Gabriel began working tirelessly to raise funds to be able to fulfill this dream for the children of Ariang. Through many generous supporters and contributions in the United States and Europe, he was able to return to Ariang in 2009 to initiate the school’s..Read More
2009
Drilling Water Wells (2009)
The first step was to drill six hand-pump wells, one of which was dug on the future school site. The wells drastically reduced the incidence of cholera and would also enable more girls to attend school.
Community Making Bricks (2009)
The next step was to make the bricks, which would be used to build the school. In collaboration with the Ariang community, the youth and women hand-made over 300,000 bricks to construct Ariang School. The bricks were made through the mixing of sand, clay, cow dung, and water and simple..Read More
2010
Breaking Ground (2010)
Finally, in 2010, Gabriel broke the ground to begin the construction of the School Building, which was completed in December 2010.
2011
Ariang Primary School Opens (May 2011)
The school officially welcomed children in its classrooms for the first time in May 2011, equipped with desks and chairs. The new school built by HOPE for Ariang Foundation allows all children, Class 1 to 8, to receive an education in their own village in safe classrooms, equipped with the..Read More
