Reviving Education Amid Conflict: The Story of Merwa
Building Community-Led Solutions in Merwa Kajo Keji County
Following an outbreak of violence between armed groups in Kajo Keji in 2017 and 2018, thousands of civilians fled the area for their safety. Many moved to Uganda while others sought refuge in neighboring areas or in the bush. Merwa, near the border of South Sudan and Uganda, is one of the bush areas where displaced civilians of Kajo Keji settled. There is no road access to reach Merwa and it takes two hours on foot to reach the nearest town of Kochi in Uganda.
Challenges Faced by Displaced Civilians in Merwa
In December 2018, NP's mobile team visited Merwa and learnt that no humanitarian services had reached the hundreds of displaced civilians. They could only access shops, health facilities, and other essential services in Uganda if they could afford the costs of these goods and services and were able to endure the two hours walk each way. The team also noticed that hundreds of children from the displaced community lacked access to education. While some families could afford to send their children to Ugandan schools, the large majority waited for humanitarian partners to bring education services to Merwa.
Upon returning to Juba, NP produced a humanitarian needs assessment report, highlighting Merwa's urgent needs, including education, protection, WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), health, and nutrition. Protection concerns included the occupation of civilian structures by armed forces, their proximity to civilian areas, and high levels of domestic violence and early pregnancy. This report was shared with the Protection Cluster and other humanitarian partners, urging for a swift response to the community’s pressing needs.
Community Consultation and Protection Training
In February 2019, IPMT returned to Merwa and met with community representatives in a nearby church in Kochi, Uganda. The displaced community had been given this area by the Ugandan host community, where they had built a church that also served as a community center. The leaders reported minimal improvement since the previous visit, reinforcing the need for continued support.
In response to the identified vulnerability of the population, particularly children, NP organized a one day community protection training, which included an emphasis on child protection, with 31 community leaders and members (18 men and 13 women). During the training, NP and the community discussed protection-related issues and devised contextually tailored community response strategies.
In October 2019, IPMT conducted a monitoring mission to greater Kajo Keji. The team travelled to Kochi town and met with leaders of Merwa in the same community church. The team observed that the community established a primary school in the church where civilians bring their children from Merwa every day. The school was staffed by volunteer teachers who taught basic reading, writing, and counting.
According to a local community leader, after IPMT’s child protection training, the community held a meeting and discussed how to address access to education for their children. They realized through the training and follow-up discussion that they can also explore local solutions while waiting for humanitarian response. As a result of the meeting, the community agreed to contribute and establish a basic school.
Impact on Education
As of November 2019, the school had 76 children enrolled (40 boys and 36 girls), and the community continued to run the school through voluntary donations. NP organized a child-safe space activity where children engaged in life skills discussions, recreational activities, and traditional songs about topics such as friendship and personal hygiene.
The establishment of a school for the Merwa community demonstrates the positive impacts that communities can have when an enabling environment is created to come together to identify community concerns and they are empowered to devise solutions and lead on community response.