Distributing Teens ta Guwa magazine in a school in Lakes State, South Sudan
Empowering Teens in South Sudan
A new teen magazine in South Sudan aims to improve young people’s life skills and help overcome barriers to education.
By Akuja de Garang
Girls’ Education South Sudan (GESS) is an inclusive program that is transforming the lives of a generation of children in South Sudan – especially girls and marginalized groups. Funded by UK aid from the UK Government, the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the European Union, GESS aims to reduce barriers to education through cash transfers to girls and capitation grants to schools and mobilizing learners to enroll in school and communities to support education. In November 2022, GESS launched a teen-focused magazine, as part of its youth mentoring program. Cambridge Education (a member of the Mott MacDonald Group) leads the consortium that manages GESS.
South Sudan, the newest country in the world, has some of the worst educational indicators, particularly for girls. Only one girl in ten completes primary education and girls comprise just one-third of the secondary school population. There are many barriers (cultural, financial, physical, quality) that are preventing children from enrolment and completing school. GESS aims to contribute to removing these barriers and enable transformative societal change through education.
The ‘Teens ta Guwa’ magazine, which loosely translates as ‘Power Teens’, was created as part of the GESS mentoring program. Its purpose is to not only inspire youth to strive for success but is also a source of information about services available to them.
To date over 10k copies of the magazine have been printed for upper primary and secondary school learners. Available for free, the magazine will be used as part of the GESS mentoring program, which aims to develop life skills in learners across the country.
The first issue of the Magazine includes articles on a wide-range range of topics, such as education, activism, fashion and art. It serves as an innovative way of engaging with teens, providing them with access to information and advice that may otherwise be difficult to find, especially in locations with media restrictions.
"This magazine is an important tool to build the confidence of our teens to pursue their goals and equip them with the knowledge that will help their decision-making processes and turn challenges they face into opportunities,” said Esther Akumu, Director General for Gender, Equity and Inclusive Education at the Ministry of General Education and Instruction.
The South Sudan Ministry of General Education and Instruction supports the GESS program, which is managed by implementing partners who provide technical advice. These implementing partners include Cambridge Education (a member of the Mott MacDonald Group) as the consortium lead, BBC Media Action, Montrose, Leonard Cheshire and Windle Trust International, together with seven State Anchor NGOs that implement the program in the ten states of South Sudan.
www.girlseducationsouthsudan.org