Friends of Ibba Girls School, South Sudan

The UK charity Friends of Ibba Girls School (FIGS), South Sudan is focused on giving girls between the ages of 10 and 18 the chance of primary and secondary education in South Sudan, a country which has one of the lowest literacy rates for women in the world (16% for women, 24% for men – both far too low) and where people struggle daily to find sufficient food, clean water, safe sanitation, basic health, skills, jobs, safety and security.  

Ibba Girls School is based in an area of relative security in the equatorial southwest of the country.  It is just a drop in the ocean for a country with vast need, but since its  opening in 2014 it is already providing boarding school education for over 100 girls, who otherwise  would not have had any schooling at all. We plan to enrol 40 additional girls each year till 2022 when we reach our target of 360 students.  It is a residential school to give girls the safety and security to learn, free from family domestic labour or the risk of early pregnancy and marriage. Few girls get education beyond the age of 10 because of family economic pressures so this initiative is really effective.   

The school is already attracting a lot of attention within and outside South Sudan for the quality of its teaching and facilities, and the aim is to provide a model of education to which other schools can aspire.  The school was built at the request of local government and community leaders, with whom it is developing a long term working partnership, and with their active involvement as parents, governors and trustees.  

FIGS is a practical hands on charity which is fundraising to pay for the classrooms, dormitories, teachers, matrons and other staff needed each year for the next 6 years.  

Here are some things you can do to help these girls and this school:

• Subscribe to our monthly newsletter by emailing georgia@leapfrogpr.com
• Donate to the school through our website.  We are building one classroom and one dormitory each year for the next six years.  What can you contribute to help us? The Treasurer, Gary Bandy, can be emailed at gary.bandy@mac.com
• Support one girl in her education over 8 years.  We ask for £27 per month (about the same as your mobile phone bill?).  Contact Chernise Neo chernise.neo@gmail.com to arrange this. 
• Provide a full cost bursary for one of the poorest girls for £54 per month.  Again, Chernise Neo chernise.neo@gmail.com is the person to arrange this through.  
• Bake cakes, run, swim or cycle to raise money for the charity.  Contact Zsofia Ilona on zsofiailona@googlemail.com if you can make such an offer.

Watch our inspiring short film:  http://www.ibbagirlsschool.org/index.php?page=pencil-power#thefilm

The FIGS website can be found at http://www.ibbagirlsschool.org/ or press the "More" button below.