Children live with war
South Sudan is the country in Africa that has been at war for the longest time. With brief interruptions, this war has been going on for 40 years.
Many children in South Sudan went through bad things during the civil war, both girls and boys. The violence against children was great in this war. Not only did they lose their lives during the fighting, many children were also forced to take part in the wars themselves.
Not only did they suffer violence, but they were forced to become violent themselves if they wanted to save their own lives. The consequences for the children are dire.
War again
The fighting continues in South Sudan. Despite the country’s independence from the north in 2011, South Sudan did not come to rest because different groups were now fighting against each other within the country.
So it came back to the civil war, in which schools and hospitals were destroyed along with many houses. The fighting groups show no consideration for the civilian population or any children.
Child soldiers
Since 2013 there has been another civil war in South Sudan, a country located in Africa according to itypeauto. The president and his former deputy are fighting for power. Ceasefires are repeatedly agreed, but not adhered to. There are estimates that around 12,000 children fight as soldiers for the various parties to the conflict.
In 2018 the situation calmed down and in 2020 power was redistributed. It remains to be seen how stable this situation will prove (see also history and politics).
Do the children go to school in South Sudan?
The answer is clear: many children in South Sudan do not go to school. Many people in South Sudan can neither read nor write and have never seen the inside of a school either. This is also due to the long period of civil war that broke out again and again. The civil war produced many illiterate people. But now the government wants to do more for education, build schools and enable children to go to school. But something like that doesn’t happen overnight.
Overcrowded classrooms and too few teachers
In spite of all the plans in South Sudan, the reality is still different. The classrooms in schools are often overcrowded, there is not only a lack of teachers, but also of material for the students to work with. In some classes there are up to 160 students, lessons are no longer possible here. Above all, the hygienic situation in schools is often bad because there are hardly any toilets and not even opportunities to wash one’s hands. Many children are unfamiliar with toothpaste and soap.
Cleanliness is an important issue, not just for the children
International aid organizations are campaigning for the expansion of an education system, especially in South Sudan. They train the children on hygiene and hope that they will pass on the important information to their parents. Adults should also go to school so that they can catch up on what they have not learned in years and can at least read and write.
South Sudan’s hope lies in the education of its youth. But only 50 out of 100 children even attend primary school. The number is even lower for girls. Only 36 out of 100 girls go to school. Many teachers have just attended elementary school themselves. The proportion of female teachers is also very low and a teacher cannot live on an income as a teacher, but has to earn money elsewhere in any case.
The progress made by Sudan after independence in 2011 and the end of the war with the north was undone by the internal civil war in South Sudan from 2013 onwards.
Women and girls
The maternal mortality rate is highest in South Sudan
Most girls don’t go to school in South Sudan. They are often married off very early and have their first child as a teenager. A girl in South Sudan is more likely to die in childbirth or pregnancy than completing eighth grade of school.
South Sudan is also the country with the highest maternal mortality rate. There is almost no medical care. If the many international organizations did not help, the situation would be much worse. There are many traditional healers living in the country, but they often do not have sufficient aids in the event of a difficult birth. And with so many young girls having children, many of whom are still children themselves, the risks of pregnancy and childbirth increase.
Eating in South Sudan
What do you eat in South Sudan?
The cuisines of Sudan and South Sudan are similar and the influences of Egypt can also be tasted in South Sudan. For example, a dish called ful and cooked from broad beans is one of the national dishes. The South Sudanese do not eat this with a fork, but use bread to dip and scoop the beans, which are seasoned with various other ingredients such as onions or cheese. When you are there yourself, always use your right hand, because the left hand is considered unclean in African countries.
The flat bread Kisra is widely used as a type of bread and is made from millet flour. Dura toois often found as a dish. This is boiled corn or boiled millet. Vegetables are served with it. When meat is served, it is often lamb. Peanut sauce is particularly popular as a sauce.
