By Charles K Mark
At least thirteen schools on Saturday, received 440 boxes of textbooks, 10 desktop computers, and some solar lights, to aid learning.
Rotary Club of Juba, under “Empowerment through Education” project, handed over the scholastic materials at St. Daniel Comboni Secondary School, as a centre of distribution.
The beneficiary schools are primary, secondary, and higher institutions of learning across South Sudan.
Textbooks range from mathematics, science, art, literature, health, and history meant for primary and secondary schools.
For universities, subjects such as adult novels, law, post-secondary science, business, and engineering, among others, were donated.
Beneficial schools include St. Joseph’s Primary School, Kelly Hope Academy Wau, Buluk A Primary, Bro Augusto Memorial Primary School, and Juba Model Primary School.
Meanwhile, the secondary schools include St. Daniel Comboni, Juba Diocesan Model SS, Juba Day SS, Juba Girls SS, and Jubek Martyrs SS.
The Rotary Club of Juba also donated the textbooks to three universities in Upper Nile: Bahr el Ghazal and the Catholic University in Juba.
Many learners have positively welcomed the charitable work done by the Rotarians, calling it a boost to their education.
They reported that when some schools try to avail themselves of resources to ease their learning, it was inadequate.
Ochan Peter, a senior four science student from Juba Day Secondary School, said he loves mathematics and believes that through research he can achieve his engineering career.
“This is so beneficial to us because, reading these books alone, we can learn a lot and enrich ourselves,” Ochan expressed.
Another student, Abdu Peter, from St. Daniel Comboni Secondary School, appreciated the Rotary Club for the donation but called for commitment from fellow students in the usage of the books.
“They should be committed and look out for these books because these books will reshape minds and enhance their knowledge,” he urged his peers.
Evelyn Willian is a senior one student at St. Daniel Comboni Secondary School and a new Interact. She has learned much in the shortest period of time through the Interact Club at the school.
Evelyn hopes the club teaches generosity and communion through mere interactions where everyone is dependent on the other.
The reception of the 440 boxes of textbooks, desktop computers, and solar lights was graced by Emmanuel Ladu Zakaria, head teacher of St. Daniel Comboni Secondary School, on behalf of the other schools.
The headteacher is in agreement that the best gift anyone can grant a student is a book through which they can seek further knowledge.
“Comboni, as one of the beneficiaries of these books, we are going to use them very wisely because they will add to the research sustainability of the school,” Ladu assured.
The activities of the Rotary Club focus on basic education, literacy, and WASH activities.
But in schools, the Rotarians work directly with the various Interact Clubs in various schools in every country in the world.
Madam Harriet Tagita is the current president of the Juba Rotary Club, which spearheaded the ‘Empowerment through Education project’ with support from UNESCO.
She explained that it is through such support that the Rotarians believe empowered communities can be able to build sustainable livelihoods.
For his part, Simon Gore, Country Chair of Rotary Club South Sudan, encouraged schools to form more Interact Clubs and encourage more students to join the clubs.
“The strategy is that we deal directly with the Interact Clubs, and we keep encouraging them to write small projects such as this, and then support can come in to the schools through them,” he said.
Gore encouraged learners to aim higher and never limit their capacities. The Country Chair challenged that it is through such initiatives that learners become very powerful persons in society.
“You are not a student for only South Sudan. You are a student of the whole world. So, aim higher. And commit yourself. And you will achieve a greater height,” Gore reiterated.
Meanwhile, a visiting Rotarian from Kenya, the Rotary Club of Karen, and the patron of the day who graced the occasion, Leonard Ithau, asked learners to remain on the course.
He encouraged them to use the books to build and empower themselves with knowledge.
“If you want to see me back, you must promise to give me something for my return. And that thing is the knowledge you have picked up from these books,” Ithau said.
The Rotary is an organization built on volunteerism and donations that come from individuals who unconditionally give to support change in communities.