Young Sudanese refugee teacher changing lives by teaching refugee children at camp
At just 21 years of age, Lim Bol Thong is a vice principal of a school at Kule refugee camp in Ethiopia. That’s quite a fete for him as he’s not much older than his students. Lim comes from South Sudan where he graduated high school at the top of his class. A medical degree was his next goal but that was cut short by a civil war in the country.
“Life is not good there. It is not functional. No security, no food, no whatever. So people are dying day from day.” Lim Bol Thong, South Sudanese Refugee and Vice Principal
Like many others from South Sudan at the moment, he fled to Ethiopia. And with his dreams of University postponed he put his skills to good use. Lim began teaching chemistry at the camps primary school. Last year the school noticed his hard work and he was promoted to vice principal.
“It is really good work serving as the vice principle of this school. But really it is very hard work. It is a tremendous job sometimes because as a vice principal, you are in charge of all the school properties” Lim Bol Thong, South Sudanese Refugee and Vice Principal
The major problem in the schools around this camp is that a shortage of teachers, supplies and space makes it hard for learning to take place
“The standard being for 40 children per classroom, in some refugee camps you can even witness that we have more than 100 children per classroom.”Angele Djohpissou, Head Of Office, United Nations Refugee Agency, Gambella
For Lim however it’s the excitement of serving and helping people that pushes him to do more for the children in the camp.
“When I think about serving people, it really excites me because as much as I serve people, it means my community will grow up. And I will produce more people to serve other people.” Lim Bol Thong, South Sudanese Refugee and Vice Principal
Ethiopia hosts more than 100,000 school age South Sudanese children with less than half of them being enrolled in school.
