Every child has the right to go to school. Unfortunately this just isn’t the case for many children forced to flee from conflict.
An under-reported war has been raging in South Sudan and children have been forced to make the dangerous journey to Uganda where they end up in refugee settlements - quite often having to fend for themselves.
14 year old Samuel and his younger brothers ran away in the middle of the night when rebels broke into his home and shot his mother and father.
“That night we took off running. Then the following morning we saw our parents were dead so we took off running again and started coming to Uganda. We took clothing but there was no food to be eaten on the way so we struggled. We met people who gave us food so we stayed with them until we crossed the border.
We were with 30 people who fled from South Sudan. At that time we were all one family, even though we were different tribes and languages.
We stayed for three days before we moved here in buses. I have since been in the camp for one and a half years, living with my brothers aged 12 and 10. I am the oldest and have to go home and cook for the children. I wake up at 5am to get water and bathe them in the morning which makes me late to school every day.”
Wars have the most brutal impact on children whose lives can be turned upside down as they are forced to flee their homes, see their loved ones killed or injured, their schools closed and even face the risk of being recruited into fighting forces.
Whether in camps, on the streets, or living in poverty, we believe each and every child deserves a quality education. Which is why Build Africa joined forces with Street Child - together we want to give more children the chance of a brighter future.
“Life is okay. There is nowhere for me to go back to in Sudan. I want to stay in Uganda. Food is given to me. I go to school. I love maths and English. After school I want to be a teacher. Teachers give good knowledge to people and it will be important to teach the wrong doers of South Sudan and see the goodness of teaching and goodness of peace.”
Children like Samuel desperately need your help. This Christmas the UK government is doubling all donations to Street Child.
Please donate today to help more children like Samuel get the education they deserve.
All public donations made before 4th January to Street Child’s ‘Mind The Gap’ appeal will be doubled by the UK government up to £2 million. Meaning your donation will go twice as far towards ensuring that children like Samuel can go to school.