Mboriundo Daniel Muabi is 26 years old, his wife Angelina is 25, and they have two daughters, a two-year-old and a baby who is six months old. They live in Kpotonayo Payam of Tambura county in South Sudan.
Daniel and Angelina began their relationship while they were both in school, when he was 21 and Angelina was 18. When Angelina fell pregnant, her parents disowned her and sent her to the boy鈥檚 family. They both dropped out of school and settled down as husband and wife.
They told 大象传媒 Media Action that as young parents with limited support, they faced a lot of challenges. 鈥淲e did not know how to take care of our children when they fell sick and did not have good source of income to support our small family,鈥� Daniel explained. They both thought they would never get a chance to go back to school.
One day, a community mobilisation volunteer from Girls Education South Sudan brought a solar wind-up radio loaded with Our School episodes and started a small listening group that included Daniel鈥檚 family. After listening the programme, they understood that even people who have dropped out of school can return to education. An episode about young mothers really resonated with the young couple, said Daniel.
鈥淲e were inspired by the story of Jackline who re-enrolled at secondary school after giving birth to four children, I really cried when we listened to the episode that day. After, I decided in front of my father that both of us are going back to school.鈥�
The couple have decided to wait to have more children until they finish their studies 鈥� and Daniel鈥檚 brother has offered to support them in their endeavour. Daniel intends to pick up from where he left off and hopes to become a teacher. Angelina would like to become a midwife.
Daniel said he was happy that Our School helped change his understanding and encouraged him and his wife to go back to school 鈥� supporting them to realise their potential and build a brighter future for their family.
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Between 2013-2018 大象传媒 Media Action reached 2 million people with radio programme Our School, as well as 1,763 school communities through our community mobilisation activities. Over the next five years (2019 to 2024), we aim to reach 2 million South Sudanese listeners through a second series of Our School, and increase to 2,700 the number of school communities engaged with listening groups. We are also working with 31 local media organisations to develop their capacity and knowledge on gender and disability awareness, to help achieve more inclusive programming across the country.
In the first phase of our project, our focus was on identifying barriers to girls鈥� access to education, to help girls attend and stay in school. Now in the second phase (2019-2024) we are continuing with that effort while also aiming to build positive knowledge, attitudes and behaviours around access to education for children and young people living with disabilities, and girls' sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). Learn more about our girls education project here.
Our projects in South Sudan
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Life in Lulu: A beloved radio drama turns 10
Our radio drama Life in Lulu has covered a myriad of storylines in the last 10 years - from health and saving the lives of mothers and babies, to reducing conflict and promoting peaceful co-existence. -
Our School: inspiring brighter futures for girls in South Sudan
A radio and outreach project aims to raise awareness of the importance of education for girls in South Sudan. -
鈥淟et鈥檚 Talk About Us鈥� - tackling taboos about reproductive health
Our radio programme is sparking conversations about sexually transmitted infections, child marriage, early pregnancy, gender-based violence, puberty, menstrual hygiene and contraception. -
Building futures in South Sudan
Youth-focused radio programme Building Futures challenged negative perceptions of technical vocational education and training, and provided young people advice about job searching and starting their own businesses.