USAID organizes Inter-School Peace Messaging Competition in Bor, Jonglei state
“I DROP THIS WEAPON IN THE NAME OF PEACE!’
By Wenne Madyt Dengs, Bor, South Sudan
March 30, 2017 (SSB) — The inter-schools peace messaging competition was organized by VISTAS, a USAID-funded program, in partnership with the Kreative Nile Family, an independent drama group and registered community-based organization operating in Bor The competition drew thirteen schools (six primary schools in Bortown, one primary school in PoC, and six high schools in Bortown).
Throughout the competition, transformative peace messages through arts in different contexts were wholly delivered. The pupils and students from both elementary and supplementary schools gave motivating peace messages in the area of peace-building through the arts.
The inter-school drama festival’s theme was ‘Supporting school-aged youth peace messaging in Bor’: the categories for the competition were drama, coral verse, solo verse, storytelling, essay writing and debate. The adjudicators were transparently selected through interviews, and more accountable, gender impartiality was highly considered.
Majak Makuach Majak a 14-year-old boy who presently attends the Martyrs Primary School, Bor-wins the inter-schools peace competition prizes in solo verse recital and best constructive speaker in debate.
“It has been a crucial time for my teachers in helping me intensely know the connection between the practical arts and debate, I have also learned from KNF instructors how to firmly recite solo and coral verses with an accuracy to ensure self-confidence” Majak optimistically said.
Majak was raised by unschooled peasant parents who toiled to offer all he needs and he means the world to them. Majak has many friends that he would love to be in the position he is in now: but getting an education at an upcoming local school such as Martyrs Primary School keeps young inspiring and creative pupils away from many different cultures in South Sudan and Africa as a whole.
‘Unfortunately, many pupils of Majak’s age are as privileged as Majak but lack ample support to cherish their creativity. Majak feel very privileged and he thanked the Nile Kreative Family for their pivotal role in mobilizing schools for this enlightening competition, and he gave back to his school appreciation for building trust in him. He promised to be bringing amazing prizes and new standpoints to school and Jonglei state as a whole at national level’
‘We are awfully pleased by Martyrs Primary School and the achievements of all school communities in Bor. The teachers and parents have worked in partnership to create a positive, stimulating teaching and learning environment where children strive to meet the scholarly, divine, physical, expressive and resourceful needs in their care’ said Mr. Dhieu David Dau, the managing Director and co-founder of Kreative Nile Family in an exclusive interview.
The Martyrs primary school was established in 2015, a mixed primary school with general school attendance of approximately 1, 040 pupils this year, 2017. The school is a believer in continuing present quality basic educational programs; the school teachers are working hard to deliver high materials to their learners in the school, this is done through wide range of creative and simulating experiences and activities which are provided so that each child has the opportunity to develop to a full potential.
As part of the competition, there was a continual sense of unleashing dissemination of accurate and reliable peace messages in different angles. This provides a basis for participatory peace-building amongst societies and it’s identified to be a corner stone of conflict transformation.
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