Media Home
UN Web TV
UN Audiovisual Library
UN PhotoUnifeed
SOUTH SUDAN / PEACEKEEPERS SUPPORT SCHOOL
STORY: SOUTH SUDAN / PEACEKEEPERS SUPPORT SCHOOL
TRT: 03:58
SOURCE: UNMISS
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 27 NOVEMBER 2020, JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN
1. Wide shot, outside Exodus school
2. Close up, South Sudan flag
3. Wide shot, school block
4. Wide shot, teacher at front of class next to blackboard
5. Wide shot, students at desk
6. Med shot, student writing in notebook
7. Close up, students hand writing in the book
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Sokiri George, Exodus Academy Principal:
“It has been very challenging from the beginning because we started from scratch. There were no classrooms. Children were learning under trees. Some were sitting in the dust. No proper books for instruction and even the pupils themselves never had books for writing.”
9. Wide shot, House and yard in community
10. Med shot, children at house
11. UPSOUND (English) Pupils of Exodus Academy singing:
“I need education, but school is not for poor guys like me. I need education, but school is not for poor guys like me. You call me a street boy, but I’m just in the street trying to find food. You call me a street girl, but I’m just in the street trying to find food.”
12. Med shot, Exodus Academy sign
13. Pan right, school field
14. Pan right, peacekeepers and school principal walking off field
15. Wide shot, children playing at borehole
16. SOUNDBITE (Engllish) Elizabeth, Exodus Academy Student:
“Just pay my school fees, please, for me to continue my education. My mum has no job. It’s only me struggling for myself to pay my school fees.”
17. Wide shot, Captain Palfrey showing book to a local family
18. Med shot, OTS, child looking at book being shown by the Captain
19. SOUNDBITE (English) Captain Stephanie Palfrey- Sneddon UNMISS Peacekeeper:
“There is such a strong message of the power of hope, peace and love. I’ve been incredibly inspired by how passionate they all are about their education. There was one time I visited before school was able to open and there was a young girl, Charity, who was in one of the classrooms in her school uniform, ready to go, just waiting for restrictions to lift. She was just sitting in this empty schoolroom reading her school-books which I thought was testament to her strength and optimism.”
20. Wide shot, inside empty schoolroom
21. Med shot, school roof support and blackboard
22. Close up, roof support packed with mud
23. SOUNDBITE (English) Sokiri George, Exodus Academy Principal:
“Education is the only way for any country to develop. Our progress, as a nation, there is no way a country can develop without education. To reduce every minor evil of society like crimes, wars, it’s only when the nation is educated. Without education, we will continue in conflict forever in this country.”
24. Various shots, pages in the book
24. Zoom out, from Captain Palfrey and a student holding the book to wide of students and peacekeepers
The South Sudanese flag flies proudly above this tiny school in the capital Juba. The roof to the concrete block classrooms is propped up by pieces of wood, there are a few rickety desks, and the blackboard is well used to say the least.
Despite the dire limitations of this learning environment, it is a vast improvement on the situation a few years ago when children were forced to attend lessons outside.
SOUNDBITE (English) Sokiri George, Exodus Academy Principal:
“It has been very challenging from the beginning because we started from scratch. There were no classrooms. Children were learning under trees. Some were sitting in the dust. No proper books for instruction and even the pupils themselves never had books for writing.”
Exodus Academy serves a community that relies on occasional work opportunities and subsistent farming. They work just to survive. There no money left over to pay school fees. Here, education is a luxury that most families cannot afford. despite the desperate pleas of their children.
Sixteen-year-old Elizabeth’s father was killed during the civil war. She wants to be pilot when she grows up but, without financial support, that dream may never be realized.
SOUNDBITE (Engllish) Elizabeth, Exodus Academy Student:
“Just pay my school fees, please, for me to continue my education. My mum has no job. It’s only me struggling for myself to pay my school fees.”
The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has a base not far from the school. For the past few years, peacekeepers have provided what support they can, creating a football field and playground, installing a water bore, providing desks, books, and engineering support.
The latest initiative is the production and sale of a special book using photos and inspirational quotes from the children to raise funds to pay the fees of orphans and children in single-parent families, to provide food, books and improve the classrooms.
Australian peacekeeper Captain Stephanie Palfrey-Sneddon is the driving force behind the project which she’s led in addition to her official duties as a staff officer in UNMISS’ Joint Operations Centre.
SOUNDBITE (English) Captain Stephanie Palfrey- Sneddon UNMISS Peacekeeper:
“Working for the United Nations has been a dream of mine for a very long time. But to work for such a large organization sometimes it feels as if we are not able to reach the people that we are here to work alongside. So, to be able to be involved in the community, make friends with the teachers, the staff and to get some pearls of wisdom from some of the students has been an absolute highlight of my time in South Sudan.”
Accessing education has been even more difficult for the children during the COVID-19 pandemic. All schools were shut down for months to prevent transmission of the virus although some students refused to let that interfere with their learning.
This team of peacekeepers is looking at how they can continue to help these children reach their full potential and make a contribution to rebuilding their country in the aftermath of a devastating civil war.
SOUNDBITE (English) Sokiri George, Exodus Academy Principal:
“Education is the only way for any country to develop. Our progress, as a nation, there is no way a country can develop without education. To reduce every minor evil of society like crimes, wars, it’s only when the nation is educated. Without education, we will continue in conflict forever in this country.”
For these children, it’s all about living a life where education is not a privilege, it’s their right.
Download
There is no media available to download.
