“Education saved me”: Hawa's journey of hope
She had arrived at Bidi Bidi with her younger brother, Emmanuel, almost a year ago. Forced to flee the violence engulfing their village in South Sudan, Hawa and Emmanuel left behind everything they owned. The journey had been long and treacherous, punctuated by the sound of gunfire and the relentless buzz of hunger gnawing at their stomachs.
Their parents had whispered hurried goodbyes, pushing them toward an uncle who promised to get them to safety. They crossed the border with nothing but the clothes on their backs and a tattered bag carrying a single schoolbook Hawa had clung on to – her only connection to the classroom she had loved so much.
From despair to hope
When they arrived in Uganda, Hawa’s hope began to waver. The settlement was sprawling, dusty, and unfamiliar. The days stretched endlessly, and the responsibility of caring for 11-year-old Emmanuel weighed heavily on her shoulders. At 15, she felt the absence of her parents acutely, but it was Emmanuel’s quiet despair that hurt the most. He no longer asked her to tell stories of home. He no longer laughed.
Everything changed the day the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) opened an Accelerated Education Programme (AEP) centre near their cluster of shelters. Hawa learned about it from a neighbour, a Ugandan woman named Mama Anna, who often shared her meagre harvest with the children.
“It’s for children like you who missed school,” Mama Anna said. “They’ll help you catch up.”
The first day Hawa walked into the classroom, her heart swelled with a cautious kind of hope. The space was modest – bare walls and wooden benches – but it buzzed with the energy of children like her, eager to reclaim something they had lost. The teacher, Ms Akello, greeted them warmly, her voice steady and kind. She spoke in a mix of languages, ensuring everyone understood.
For the first time in months, Hawa held a pencil and wrote her name. That simple act felt significant, like she was rediscovering a part of herself she thought had been left behind in South Sudan. Emmanuel, too, began to bloom. He loved the puzzles and songs Ms Akello used to teach maths. His laughter returned, a sound that gladdened Hawa’s heart.
A new community
The AEP centre was not just about academic work. It became a place where Hawa and Emmanuel found community. They befriended children from different regions and tribes, both refugees and Ugandan hosts. Together, they played games, shared stories, and dreamed of futures that seemed within reach for the first time in years.
Mama Anna, too, was part of this transformation. She joined the school management committee, supported by NRC, and worked tirelessly to ensure the programme’s success. Her involvement bridged the gap between the refugee and host communities, fostering understanding and collaboration. She often told Hawa: “Education will light your path. Keep walking.”
Just the beginning
Months turned into a year, and Hawa’s confidence grew. She excelled in science and dreams of becoming a nurse. Emmanuel’s drawings filled their shelter, each one more colourful than the last. At the end of the programme, Hawa sat for the primary leaving examinations. She had come so far from the girl who had once feared silence.
On the day the results were announced, Mama Anna accompanied her to the noticeboard. Hawa’s name was there, next to a grade she never imagined possible. Tears blurred her vision as she turned to Mama Anna, who embraced her tightly. “This is just the beginning,” Mama Anna said.
Today, Hawa is enrolled in secondary school. She is one of the first girls in her settlement to take this step. She often returns to the AEP centre, speaking to younger children about the power of perseverance. “Education saved me,” she tells them. “And it can save you too.”
In the once-silent settlement, there is now the hum of hope. Children recite lessons, teachers encourage them, and communities work together to ensure no-one is left behind. Hawa knows her journey is far from over, but she also knows she is no longer walking it alone.
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