A new climate resilience schools programme in South Sudan will provide education to more than 200,000 children affected by floods, droughts, and heatwaves, Save the Children announced.
Funded by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), the US$17 million “BRACE” (Building the Climate Resilience of Children and Communities through the Education Sector) pilot project aims to strengthen climate resilience across South Sudan’s education system. The programme will help rebuild schools, reform education policies, and train students and teachers to safeguard learning amid intensifying climate disasters.
Half of the children directly benefiting from the project are girls. The initiative also forms part of a broader global effort, initially targeting South Sudan, Cambodia, and Tonga, to protect children’s education from climate-related disruptions.
South Sudan is among the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries. Since 2022, more than 1 million people across six states have been affected by flooding, including 355,000 displaced, primarily in Jonglei and Unity states. Back-to-back heatwaves have also forced schools to close for extended periods, leaving children out of school.
The BRACE programme will improve school infrastructure with solar panels, water harvesting, ventilation systems, and sanitation facilities to ensure learning continues despite climate challenges.
“As we launch this project, we are reviewing our education curricula and practices. We must put children at the centre, and teacher training will equip educators to deliver climate-responsive education,” said H.E. Josephine Lagu, Vice President of South Sudan.
Dr. Kuyok Abol Kuyok, Minister of General Education and Instruction, expressed gratitude to funding partners, emphasizing that their support is an investment in stability and opportunity for South Sudanese children.
“We pledge to ensure that every child, no matter the climate challenges they face, enjoys access to quality education,” he said.
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Deputy Speaker of the Child Council, Hon. Agot Alier, said the project would empower children to become future leaders.
“If resilience is about bouncing back, then let’s make sure every child has a reason to rise,” she said.
Chris Nyamandi, Country Director for Save the Children in South Sudan, highlighted the urgency of protecting education amid recurrent climate disasters.
“Education is not only about learning, but also survival. Through this project, we are helping children learn, adapt, and lead in a changing climate,” he said.
UNESCO, through its International Institute for Educational Planning, will also support the BRACE initiative to strengthen policy, planning, and curricula, ensuring children can continue learning despite climate challenges.
Globally, climate events disrupt schooling for about 40 million children annually, a figure expected to rise as extreme weather becomes more frequent. By 2050, climate change could displace more than 143 million people, further affecting children’s education and wellbeing.
Save the Children has worked in South Sudan since 1991, providing education, healthcare, nutrition, and livelihoods support to children and families affected by conflict and climate crises.