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The Impact of The Uniforms Project

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The uniforms project is 100% complete. A total of 24,342 student items (uniforms, supplementary items, and shoes) were made and distributed to our 3 schools through our Ariang Network of Schools – this impact reached 2,505 and transformed their school life in many ways. This particular project was 100% funded by Tailored for Education.

Below is a summary of items distributed and their impact in the community.

Summary of items procured and distributed
Impact of the project to the community of Ariang

The schools reached by this project include Ariang School, Nyieth School, and Mading School. We would like to feature Mading School because it has a unique set of challenges.

Mading School | The School Under A Collection Of Trees

Mading Classroom Setting

Mading Primary School is a makeshift school where all teaching and learning for over 565 students [current student population] and sixteen members of the teaching staff happen under a collection of trees in a cleared field. The school doesn’t have a single structure and classrooms are simple chalkboards propped up against a tree while students huddle around on the ground and write from their laps.

The Weather Determines Learning

The school administration and the teaching staff explained to us that extreme weather conditions such as rains, sand storms, scorching afternoon sun, and warm breezes usually bring learning to a standstill for days, weeks, and sometimes, for months.

Students Sit On Rocks and Tree Roots To Recieve Instructions

Students Sitting On Tree Roots

When the weather is favorable, students of Mading School walk through grasslands, dusty/bare grounds, and soaked
fields depending on the season to reach the school. The school does not have a good road accessing it – only footpaths made by grazing animals and people. Upon reaching the school, the students sit on rocks and tree roots to receive instructions. Students endure ‘the scorching sun of South Sudan’ when trees shed their leaves and younger students are usually advised to stay at home during these times.

Challenges and Socio-economic Disparities

Mading School is located at the heart of the poorest village in Ariang. The majority of students do not have school uniforms or shoes and they put on whatever clothes they have. Socio-economic disparaties are easily noteceable when you look around. These disparities bring in, many forms of educational inequalities and social stigma to the students. This uniforms project filled many of these gaps in addition to the impact stories highlighted above

Our Dream For Mading School

Our wish and dream is to build proper school infrastructures but we often have financial shortfalls considering that our organization is young. Here is a short vision we wrote for this school but we haven’t been able to raise enough funds to make it a reality.

Seeking Support For This School

Any support or connections to organizations or international governments that fund these types of projects is highly welcomed. Together we can build this school one classroom at a time through our collective effort. The benefits will be great, lasting, and impactful.

Make a donation

We welcome you to support the kids of Mading School by making a donation of any amount. Every $10 supports one kid with one year school supplies. This is the first postitive step in the direction of making education more accessible to kids of South Sudan.

Checks donation can be sent to:

HOPE for Ariang Foundation

P.O BOX 569,

Syracuse, NY, 13214

Education and healthy hygiene for girls

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September 2018, was marked a special month for the #Girlchild in Ariang School. Two HOPE for Ariang team members, Elizabeth Deng and Josephine Lukas visited the school with the aim of highlighting and addressing some of the challenges eighth-grade girls face during menstruation.

The visit shed light about HOPE for Ariang’s commitment to improving girls’ education and school attendance through the Women and Girls Empowerment Program. To create a lasting solution, the program also focused on empowering all the women in Ariang and surrounding Villages.

In-depth interview

In collaboration with Ariang’s female teacher Maria Adyior, the program started with interviewing the girls to find out how they cope up with menstruation in the absence of sanitary towels.12 out of the 23 eighth grade girls were interviewed. Only a few girls had knowledge about menstruation health management. Out of the 12 girls we interviewed, only one girl knew about sanitary pads and had underwears. All the others had very little knowledge about menstrual hygiene and management. All the girls opted to skip school during their periods. They preferred to stay at home for fear of stigma from their fellow schoolmates.

School absenteeism

The interview demonstrated a combination of factors leading to increased absenteeism for girls, poor school performance and increased early marriages. We had some girls who said that:

“I don’t go to school for almost six days”
”…during menstruation, I wear many skirts”

“I feel uncomfortable to ask our male teachers about menstruation problems, and so I feel better to stay back at home where am a bit comfortable for all those days”

Girls and school performance

Some girls said in most cases they can’t concentrate in class. They always think about sudden menstruation leakage and what others will say about them.
“… During menstruating days, our attentiveness to lessons is always interrupted by the thinking of unplanned leakage and staining of our clothes. Which is so shameful. We don’t concentrate. Most of the time our attention is on menstruation and the embarrassment that comes with it.”

Training session

We trained 23 eighth grade girls and 6 community women from the Ariang Village. Teacher Maria Adyior led the training after receiving one-on-one training and coaching from the HOPE for Ariang team. She provided an overview of what is menstruation, menstruation management and challenges experienced during menstruation period. She also advised and guided them on how to stay clean and healthy while on their period.

Hygiene Kit Distribution

At the end of the training session, the women and girls were given a reusable sanitary kit which included three underwears, four reusable sanitary pads, a bucket and a soap. By using reusable pads, girls will be able to safely, comfortably and consistently manage their periods without worrying about embarrassment and shame.

Next Steps:)

The HFA Women and Girls Empowerment program addresses challenges which prevent girls in Ariang to continue with their education and live a healthy life in the community through a very comprehensive approach:

  1. Comprehensive and intensive life-skills program.
  2. One-on-one and group-based mentorship.
  3. Menstruation support and kit distribution.
  4. Engagement of communities, families and schools to support girls.
Impact

Our target is to empower all girls at Ariang school to happily attend school daily, concentrate in class and reach their potentials. If you would like to donate to our Women and Girls Empowerment Program, you can make a donation here. Simple, write “Ariang Girl” in the comment box. Help us to ensure that all girls can go to school, attend classes, and complete their education without any barriers so that they can reach their full potential and be the change in the community. We want to make our girls shine.