Behaviour Change Communication Activities Positively Impacts Education.

December 19, 2024 9:48 am

“If I had this opportunity in the past where I can contribute ideas on what happens with my daughters, I would have encouraged them to go to school and told their father (my husband) not to marry them off early. With the community dialogue we have here now, women can speak up and give ideas on what happens with their daughters because they want a better future for them. The community members now see the importance of educating girls because they have heard testimonies of educated girls supporting their communities,” Martha, a community Leader, a member of community dialogue and a grandmother. 

 

Historically, cultural, and societal norms in South Sudan have often placed barriers on girls’ education. Many parents and communities prioritized boys’ education over the education of girls, leaving girls with limited opportunities. Girls were often considered a source of wealth through bride price. These deep-rooted biases have for long hindered the progress of countless young girls, depriving them of the chance to learn and grow. 

Martha speaking at a community dialogue. 

The impact of the Girls’ Education South Sudan (GESS) integrated approach to the education of girls and those on the margins of society is being felt across the country. South Sudan has 10 States and three Administrative Areas and boasts of diverse cultures with over 60 tribes! This diversity in cultures also tells of the difference in literacy levels and how different communities view education. In urban settings, there is a more positive attitude towards the education of girls than in rural areas. South Sudan has more rural population than urban .

Over the 10 years of GESS since 2013, the programme has implemented a community-based approach through listening clubs and community dialogues. These activities were designed to engage community members, including parents, religious leaders, and community leaders in meaningful conversations about the importance of girls’ education. The community-based approach included community mobilisation activities that target areas with no radio coverage and areas which are hard to reach because people in such areas are normally deprived from receiving information. The listening clubs use radio programmes produced by GESS loaded on solar-powered radios. Some of the topics covered on the radio programme include:

  • Benefits of education
  • Budgeting for education
  • Importance of educating girls
  • Parents’ contribution to education
  • The benefits of educating children with disabilities.

The community dialogues use visual storytelling materials (VSM), which are a translation of the radio programmes. The VSM are for communities that do not understand the languages in which the programme is produced. To date, the GESS community mobilisation activities have reached over 909,000 people in rural communities across South Sudan. The radio programmes aired on over 20 radio stations has reached over 2.8 million people over the age of 15 across South Sudan.

A recent report suggests that “78% of the listeners reported they had sent their daughter or sister to school after listening to Our School”. https://bit.ly/3YmC4tU

A listening club activity

  

The GESS Listening clubs provided a platform for community members to come together and discuss the benefits of educating girls. Through sharing experiences, and listening to success stories, and positive role models from the radio programmes, these clubs fostered a supportive environment where positive attitudes towards girls’ education flourish. “When members of the community listen to the radio programmes and hear testimonies of educated girls who are now supporting their families financially, they feel inspired to send their own daughters to school. Personally, I have listened to the radio programmes and all episodes are good and encouraging,” Abram Korok, Religious Leader.  

 

Whilst the community dialogues bring together diverse groups, including parents, teachers, and religious leaders, to openly discuss the barriers to girls’ education and collaboratively find solutions. These dialogues have been instrumental in breaking down misconceptions and building a collective commitment to support girls’ education. “In the past, some parents would come to the school to remove their girls from classes to get them married off for a bride price or to send them to the cattle camps to look after cattle but due to the community dialogues, these cases are now unheard of. People’s attitudes towards the education of girls are changing,” Paul Lolo, Chairperson, PTA, Pibor Girls’ Primary School.  

A community dialogue activity in Pibor 

The impact of these behaviour-change communications activities has been profound. Community and religious leaders, once hesitant, are now champions of girls’ education. Parents who previously doubted the value of educating their daughters are now actively ensuring their enrolment and attendance in school. “I have seen the impact of the (GESS) activities. The number of girls in school, especially in the upper primary has increased. This year (2024), we have over 500 girls enrolled in Pibor Girls’ Primary School, and last year (2023) we registered over 20 girls sitting for the final examination of primary level which will see them join secondary school. This is the highest number ever in the history of Pibor. I would like to believe that such gains are due to the activities of GESS like the community dialogues and cash transfers,” Mr Nyabok Ngali, Director General for Education, Pibor Administrative Area.

One notable story is that of Sarah, a young girl from Lokwangule village in Pibor, thanks to the support of her community and family after listening to the GESS radio programmes, Sarah excelled in her studies, completed secondary school and is now a Community Volunteer with a local organization where she gets paid a stipend and supports her family. “We used to listen to the radio programmes together with my father and that made him encourage me to stay in school. I am now able to buy for him airtime and clothes, and I am also paying my younger siblings in school.” Sarah’s story is a testament to the power of collective effort and the transformative impact a positive attitude towards girls’ education.

The GESS programme’s behaviour change communications activities have sparked a significant shift in attitudes towards girls’ education in South Sudan. By fostering community engagement and dialogue, the programme has paved the way for a brighter future for countless girls, empowering them to pursue their dreams and contribute to the development of their communities.

 Find information about GESS Behaviour Change Communications activities  here: https://bit.ly/4fqZFk1

 

 

 

 

 

Categorised in: , ,