A Girls' School in South Sudan – March 2026

Caroline Noall kindly stepped in at the last minute to speak at our March meeting as the scheduled speaker had to cancel because of ill health.

She told us about Ibba Girls' School which was opened in 2014. There had been many years of civil war in Sudan and South Sudan was granted independence in 2011. South Sudan is quite a large country – about 31 times the size of Wales. Transport is difficult because of the poor quality of roads and transport networks. Caroline informed us that she had noticed, whilst living in South Sudan for three years in the 1980s, that women and girls did most of the work and had few opportunities for education. 90% of women are illiterate and are more likely to die in childbirth than complete their education. A residential school was established to increase the possibility that girls attending the school would be able to fully concentrate on education, rather than constantly being kept at home to work and care for family members.

South Sudan has a system of nine years of primary education and four years of secondary education. After three years of primary, girls are chosen to attend Ibba School if considered suitable. The school began with one class of fourth years, and has then added a class every year until they were able to offer the complete range of primary and secondary education. They have a principle of 'the pen and the hoe', meaning that the girls learn practical skills as well as traditional academic education subjects. They are taught in English.

The school faces many challenges. Although Ibba is not in a particularly volatile area, security is an issue. A large staff is needed to teach and support the students, and classrooms and other buildings have to be built as the school develops. The school grows much of its own food, but there can be food shortages. South Sudan suffers from hyperinflation which creates financial strains. Nevertheless, every year the number of students who graduate increases. The benefit of education filters down throughout the social network, such as students learning about the importance of hygiene which is then passed down to the home situation, learning how to behave with boys to avoid pregnancy, and the practical uses of numeracy.

Caroline presented a most interesting talk which everyone enjoyed. She donated the speaker's fee to the school and they wrote a thank you letter to our WI. If anyone wishes to support the school they can make a donation on their website.

Ysgol i Ferched yn Ne Swdan -- Mawrth 2026

Bu Caroline Noall yn garedig iawn i gamu i mewn ar y funud olaf i siarad yn ein cyfarfod ym mis Mawrth gan fod yn rhaid i'r siaradwr a drefnwyd ganslo oherwydd afiechyd.

Dywedodd wrthym am Ysgol Merched Ibba a agorwyd yn 2014. Roedd blynyddoedd lawer o ryfel cartref wedi bod yn Swdan a rhoddwyd annibyniaeth i Dde Swdan yn 2011. Mae De Swdan yn wlad eithaf mawr – tua 31 gwaith maint Cymru. Mae trafnidiaeth yn anodd oherwydd ansawdd gwael ffyrdd a rhwydweithiau trafnidiaeth. Dywedodd Caroline wrthym ei bod wedi sylwi, tra'n byw yn Ne Swdan am dair blynedd yn yr 1980au, mai menywod a merched oedd yn gwneud y rhan fwyaf o'r gwaith ac nad oedd ganddynt lawer o gyfleoedd i gael addysg. Mae 90% o fenywod yn anllythrennog ac yn fwy tebygol o farw wrth roi genedigaeth na chwblhau eu haddysg. Sefydlwyd ysgol breswyl i gynyddu'r posibilrwydd y byddai merched sy'n mynychu'r ysgol yn gallu canolbwyntio'n llawn ar addysg, yn hytrach na chael eu cadw gartref yn gyson i weithio a gofalu am aelodau'r teulu.

Mae gan Dde Swdan system o naw mlynedd o addysg gynradd a phedair blynedd o addysg uwchradd. Ar ôl tair blynedd o addysg gynradd, dewisir merched i fynychu Ysgol Ibba os ystyrir eu bod yn addas. Dechreuodd yr ysgol gydag un dosbarth o bedwaredd flwyddyn, ac yna mae wedi ychwanegu dosbarth bob blwyddyn nes eu bod yn gallu cynnig yr ystod gyflawn o addysg gynradd ac uwchradd. Mae ganddyn nhw egwyddor 'y pen a'r hoe', sy'n golygu bod y merched yn dysgu sgiliau ymarferol yn ogystal â phynciau addysg academaidd traddodiadol. Fe'u haddysgir yn Saesneg.

Mae'r ysgol yn wynebu llawer o heriau. Er nad yw Ibba mewn ardal ansefydlog iawn, mae diogelwch yn broblem. Mae angen staff mawr i addysgu a chefnogi'r myfyrwyr, ac mae'n rhaid adeiladu ystafelloedd dosbarth ac adeiladau eraill wrth i'r ysgol ddatblygu. Mae'r ysgol yn tyfu llawer o'i bwyd ei hun, ond gall fod prinder bwyd. Mae De Swdan yn dioddef o orchwyddiant sy'n creu straen ariannol. Serch hynny, bob blwyddyn mae nifer y myfyrwyr sy'n graddio yn cynyddu. Mae budd addysg yn treiddio i lawr ledled y rhwydwaith cymdeithasol, fel myfyrwyr yn dysgu am bwysigrwydd hylendid sydd wedyn yn cael ei drosglwyddo i'r sefyllfa gartref, dysgu sut i ymddwyn gyda bechgyn i osgoi beichiogrwydd, a defnyddiau ymarferol rhifedd.

Cyflwynodd Caroline sgwrs ddiddorol iawn a fwynhaodd pawb. Rhoddodd ffi'r siaradwr i'r ysgol ac ysgrifennon nhw lythyr diolch i'n Sefydliad y Merched. Os oes unrhyw un eisiau cefnogi'r ysgol gallant wneud rhodd ar eu gwefan.

Charity cheque presentation - March 2026

We were delighted to present a cheque to Velindre for £750. This was the result of our fundraising efforts for 2025/26.

The charity we have chosen for 2026/27 is Parkinsons UK Cymru.