Big Dreams

Eleven-year-old Dibora sits quietly under the shade of a big mango tree, turning the pages of an old English workbook. The pages are torn and worn out. She is now in Grade 5 and loves to study, even when school is closed.

“I come here every day,” she says quietly. “I don’t want to lose what I already know.”

Dibora’s educational journey has been anything but easy. A year ago, she fled the ethnic conflict in the Oromia region with her uncle and eventually settled in the Gambella region, seeking safety and stability. When Dibora enrolled in Wibur Primary and Secondary School, she was filled with hope.

But reality quickly set in. “There are too many children in one class,” she explains. “We sit on the ground. There are no desks or enough textbooks. There’s only one teacher for more than 80 students. Some children come to school hungry.”

She still studies from the same exercise book she received last year from UNICEF, with support from the Government of Japan. “It’s worn out,” she says, carefully turning its creased pages, “but I use it every day. It helps me remember what I learned.”

In the Gambella Region, a significant number of internally displaced and refugee children are out of school. Among those who are enrolled, only a few manage to complete primary education. Host communities face similar challenges, with overcrowded schools, dilapidated classrooms, and a severe shortage of learning materials. For many children, the dream of education feels increasingly out of reach. Alarmingly, starting this September, all refugee children in the region are at risk of being out of school due to funding shortfalls.

Mrs. Fetenech, the school principal, speaks candidly about the challenges: “We have more than 2,700 students and only 68 teachers for all grades, including kindergarten. Some classrooms leak during the rainy season. There are no school meals, no proper sanitation, and no playgrounds. KG students don’t even have a place to nap. The children want to learn, but the support just isn’t enough.”

Despite it all, Dibora refuses to give up. She dreams of becoming a pilot. When asked why she chose to become a pilot, her eyes light up, and a smile spreads across her face. “We’re always living on land. I want to live in the air for a while.” Dibora also dreams of helping her community as well, “I want to help teachers when I grow up. I want to start an organization to support children who don’t have food or school,” she says.

Thanks to the generous support from the Government of Japan last year, girls like Dibora now have access to education and the opportunity to build a brighter future. Outside of school, Dibora's days are filled with responsibilities. After classes, she helps with housework and cares for her aunt's baby. Nevertheless, she still finds time to study, often returning to her favorite spot under the mango tree to read and write in her cherished workbook. Even without a proper classroom or materials, Dibora is spreading her wings, getting closer to her dream and hoping for a brighter and better tomorrow.