Mahasin is finally going to school

Finally at school – Mahasin’s story

In 2022, nine-year-old Mahasin was displaced with her family, including her two sisters and three brothers after fighting erupted in South Kordofan state. Mahasin’s father, who was the family provider, lost his income as a farmer due to the displacement.

In the new location, Mahasin tried to enroll in a school without success, as all classes were already full. In Sudan, schools are often overstretched with an up to 80 students in one class. Educational infrastructures in host communities are in many cases not able to accommodate the additional number of children from the displaced families. 

After the first disappointment, Mahasin learnt from other girls about the Accelerated Learning Programme (ALP) for children who had missed out on school. Mahasin had never visited a school before, yet she was eager to become a student.

“I inquired how I could register, and the teacher asked me if I had ever studied before. I told him that I had never visited a school, even though I was 9 years old. He enrolled me directly in his class.”

In the ALP programme, funded by the Sudan Humanitarian Fund and implemented by Save the Children, Mahasin started to study essential subjects, such as Arabic and Maths:

"I'm very happy that I am able to go to school now and to study with my new friends whom I met during the program. Also, there is a good learning environment, because of the new tables, benches, stationaries and school bags provided."

Before Mahasin joined the school, she used to spend her entire time helping her mother with housekeeping, washing utensils, and cleaning the house. Even now, she still does that in her free time, but she also learns and plays with her friends. 

"When I go home, I revise my lessons with my sisters and also help my mother in my spare time. In school, I like to do rope jumping with my friends. I'm so happy that I have learnt how to write and calculate. Now I can write my name and a lot of other things". Mahasin is studying hard because she wants to become a doctor to help others.

Her parents are also proud that their daughter is pursuing an education and are hoping that she will be able to create a better future for herself.

The Emergency Education Project in South Kordofan funded by the Sudan Humanitarian Fund (SHF) and implemented by Save the Children provided teaching and learning materials for more than 10,000 children, seating for 550 students as well as hand washing facilities and water sources for 20 schools. Also, 58 headmasters and teachers received training.