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“It is better to live on nothing but water and remain a Christian than to abandon my faith and live a lie.”
– Michelle, a mother whose young children attend a Save the Saveable nursery
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Save the Saveable schools: Born out of crisis
Sudan’s Save the Saveable schools were created in 1986 by the Archdiocese of Khartoum in response to a refugee crisis in the country.
Large numbers of Christians had fled civil war in the south of the country and were now living in displacement camps around Khartoum, the Sundanese capital, and other northern towns.
With no provision for education in the camps, Archbishop Gabriel Zubeir Wako set up the Save the Saveable schools to provide free places for children who would otherwise have been excluded from basic education.
The schools were supported by a number of aid agencies under emergency aid terms. But after the Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 2005, the situation stabilised – in the case of education at least – and state schools opened in the settlements.
Sudan’s state schools have a strong Islamic mission and Arabic orientation. They do not teach Christianity and many exclude girls altogether.
What are the benefits of the Save the Saveable schools programme?
Children at the Save the Saveable schools receive a full Christian education including English and Religion.
Until recently, they also received one meal a day. With the withdrawal of services by most aid agencies, a few schools still provide breakfast, but this needs to be paid for by the students, who can rarely afford it. This can mean children either miss school or leave early.
What are the Fees?
As a sign of commitment to their children’s education, pupils’ families are required to make a contribution towards their children's education, according to their means.
However, the Archdiocese is working to ensure that poor children have access to Save the Saveable – and 15 percent of the places at the schools are available under scholarship.
How does Aid to the Church in Need help?
Aid to the Church in Need provides key commitment to the Save the Saveable schools. The schools are a priority project for the charity, particularly since a number of other agencies have withdrawn support from the programme because of its focus on teaching the Catechism.
Aid to the Church in Need contributes £25 a year for each of the 20,000 children at the Save the Saveable schools – a total of some £500,000 per year.
This money is used towards school buildings, salaries for priests teaching the children, educational materials and food.
What would happen if the Save the Saveable schools were abolished?
Without the Save the Saveable schools, many children would have to go without any education whatsoever. Those that did attend state schools would not receive a Christian education.
With Christian families living in poverty in the displacement camps, young children would have to look after themselves while their parents went out to work.
The lack of Christian education in the Islamist-dominated Khartoum region could threaten Christianity in the north of Sudan, with Christian families being forced to move elsewhere.