EDUCATION
Why We Focus On Education
The Dinka community of Lou Ariik don’t prioritize education for their children.Cattle are the foundation of the Dinka and Nuer culture.
When the focus of the family is on protecting the herd, Education is not a priority.
Paramount activity of a young boy is to herd cattle to better, greener pastures and protect them from cattle rustlers
Girls in the Lou Ariik area are primarily kept at home to perform domestic tasks and married off as soon as they reach adolescence.
Under The Tree Schools
Understanding all the barriers to education in Lou Ariik, it is all the more remarkable that Under the Tree schools have been operating since 1994. Uncle Toby Mawien, also known as Akougook or Shield in the Dinka language, established schools under the Tamarind tree of Lou Ariik because he believed every society can improve using the tools of Education.
He was fond of saying, “Every change for the better begins with education. It is time that our children go to school for a better life.” Inspired by his father, Dr. Arik believes that all the children of Lou Ariik deserve to attend school, boys AND girls. They deserve to learn in proper classrooms with appropriate educational materials and sanitation facilities.
Educating the Girl Child
In Lou Ariik, the number of underage pregnancies are alarming. The reproductive systems of young adolescent girls have not developed enough to carry healthy babies to term, and deliver safely without complications. In his practice at the Akougook Health Clinic, Dr. Arik must deliver many babies via caesarean section because the young mothers haven’t had time to grow to adulthood before becoming pregnant. Caesarean section deliveries present more difficulties in recovery, and for subsequent deliveries.
There is a saying that if you want to improve a community, educate the girls. Many scientific studies have been done, showing that when girls are educated, infant and maternal mortality in the community is significantly reduced. The longer girls stay in school, the healthier their communities become. That is why one of the foundational beliefs of the Akougook Health, Education and Peace Initiative is to ensure educational opportunities for both girls and boys in Lou Ariik village.
In his practice at the Akougook Health Clinic, Dr. Arik must deliver many babies via caesarean section because the young mothers haven’t had time to grow to adulthood before becoming pregnant. Caesarean section deliveries present more difficulties in recovery, and for subsequent deliveries.
