The Newly Built School in Gondokoro Payam Handed Over to the Community on July 31, 2024 by NWERO - Courtesy of NWERO

The National Women for Empowerment Organization (NWERO) has officially handed over a newly constructed school to Gondokoro Payam in Juba County, Central Equatoria State.

The construction of the single-block building with 4 classrooms and 2 administrative offices has been funded by UNMISS under the Quick Impact Project and implemented by the National Women for Empowerment Organization.

According to the residents, the newly constructed school is the only school in the area with a population above 5000 people and over 400 children who need education.

Editha Meling Leju, the Executive Director of NWERO asked the State government to support the education of young persons in Gondo-koro and ensure girl children are educated.

“To the government state ministry of education, I kindly request your esteemed administration to keep the school functional by providing teachers to deliver quality services to the learners including the learning materials,” said Meling.

“Because starting the construction of this school, we moved to all these education ministries and they gave us the commitment letters that they will be able to support this school and then we need to see that the school is supported,” he said.

The community members welcome the development and thank NWERO for pivotally rescuing young persons from illiteracy.

They decried the relative illiteracy rate among their young people and asked the government and partners to intervene and build more schools in the area.

“Children here are staying at home, they only engage in playing the drums but they can’t become doctors and teachers and will never help the village,” a member of the community stated.

“We are happy may God give us more strength and we support the education of these kids,” one of the community members said.

“Now, we are very happy with this new school. We are innocent and our kids are just staying home, none of them went to study in Juba because of survival issues,” he said.

“This new school has four classrooms but these other children of ours who should be studying primary 5,6,7 and above will still have no access.

“Build for us more schools to make us happier than this. We won’t forget this organization. We will put high their name and won’t just forget because they have done great work for us,” another one said.

“School-going children in Gondokoro of Juba County have had a halt in learning for almost a year following farmers-herders conflict in the area which displaced half of the population.”