Cattle camp school – in classroom and via radio
The children and teenagers learn to read, write and count.
A typical class goes like this.
Children sit on mats under a shady tree. Some sport bright jerseys with names of faraway football stars. Most are barefoot.
“What words start with “m”?” asks the teacher. “Milk”, “mother”, “medicine” – roll the answers. One by one, the children go to the blackboard, and chalk in hand, practice writing. The lessons are in English and Dinka (one of the main local languages).
16-year-old Makimwho lives in a cattle camp outside Yirol in Lakes state says he can now “understand some of the things in my book” and can read. Having “the school” so close to the cattle camp is good, he adds, as he can keep an eye on his cows while studying.
Being educated, muses 15-year-old Puor Deng, will enable her to have “my own things” – cooking pots, a mattress and other possessions that are prized in her community.
Apart from learning in a classroom-like environment, they also learn through the radio thanks to an 18-episode programme – called “Sukul Wutic” or Cattle Camp School - created by FAO with a group of community broadcasters.
In separate outdoor classrooms, adults listen to their trainer or the voice on the radio. They learn how they can set up small businesses – for example, make and sell yoghurt or butter - and carry out activities that have nothing to do with rearing livestock – such as fishing, beekeeping or growing vegetables to eat and sell.
In one class, they might learn about animal health - how to care for their cattle to keep them strong and healthy so that they produce more milk. A recommendation could “simply” involve: crushing some animal bones, taking some clay of a termite mount and some salt, mixing them all together and feeding the paste to the animals.
In another class, they might learn about how to keep the soil around their cattle camp fertile, by leaving small branches and cattle dung on the soil, so that they can grow vegetables.
“We used to survive on wild vegetables when food was scarce, but now we have a range of vegetables to eat and we hope to sell some so we can buy other things – soap, sugar, cloth and other foods, which we don’t have,” said Achol Tiop Aleth from Nyigomkot cattle camp.
Classes during the COVID-19 pandemic
Things have changed over the last months when restrictions were imposed as herders too face the dangers of COVID-19. They can no longer sit together in big groups. Now, instead of learning about growing veggetables, they are listening on the radio to messages from FAO on COVID-19 transmission, and what they can do to protect themselves and their families.
In the meanwhile, FAO is developing a second radio series of Sukul Wutic episodes. This way, as soon as classes can fully resume, teachers will have new materials. FAO is also planning to expand the educational programme to other regions of South Sudan.