Fast facts
Population 40,187,000
Capital Khartoum
Area 2,505,813 km2
(967,500 sq miles)
Language Arabic, Nubian, Ta Bedawie, local dialects
Religion Sunni Muslim, indigenous beliefs, Christian
Currency Sudanese dinar
Life Expectancy 57
Literacy 61%

Under Tree Schools is a project to provide Christian schooling for girls who would otherwise get no education in Southern Sudan.

Sudan was in civil war between the north and the south for much of the period between 1955 and January 2005, when a peace agreement was reached. The longest civil war in Africa destroyed the infrastructure of the south, including education for a generation of children and caused mass illiteracy. Very few schools were able to function during this period, and many children were recruited as boy soldiers.

The Under Tree Schools project was started by Revd Joseph Ayok-Loewenberg in 2000. It provided basic schooling for children from 6-14 years. Classes were held under trees and equipment was simple - blackboards, slates, chalk, some books and a few teachers’ training books. The teachers were volunteers from the local area.

As the country is recovering from the war and has had to start rebuilding from scratch, the efforts have mostly been concentrated in border areas where there is some infrastructure.

Under Tree Schools is creating an independent primary/secondary Church school. It will be mainly for girls, as the government is planning to concentrate on boys’ education. The school will be in Malek, the principal town of Aweil South County, to which many refugees are returning.

The local community is very positive about the project and will be closely involved in the school’s management. The school will be sited on a large plot given to Under Tree Schools by the town, as the Christian approach to education UTS offers is very much wanted and encouraged. The pupils will be given both academic & vocational training, so that they can help improve their families’ incomes.

700 children have been registered this spring, and are being taught under the trees for the rest of this year. 300 children, with priority to girls, will be selected to move into the new school when it is ready; and the state education authority is being pressed to take the others.

Through fund raising the erection of a school building has begun, and eight classrooms and the teachers’ living accommodation have already been built. Further building can only continue as funds are raised to buy the materials. The children have been making their own contribution to the building by collecting stone to be crushed into aggregate.

What your contributions could buy:
Library (building & equipping)                               £32,500
Two water boreholes                                           £6,000 each
Clinic (building & equipping)                                 £22,500
Teacher - salary for a year                                   £1,500
Nurse - salary for a year                                      £1,200
Running track                                                     £ 500
Sports equipment for a year                                 £1,000
Uniform for a student                                           £30

Under Tree Schools website