South Sudanese children call for flood-protected schools
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Radio Tamazuj
South Sudanese children gathered in Juba are calling for climate-resilient schools, accessible warning systems and emergency shelters to better protect their education, health and livelihoods. Their declaration calls on the government and world leaders to fund concrete measures before COP31, according to Radio Tamazuj.
Children gathered in Juba called on the South Sudanese government and international leaders to invest in flood-resistant schools, accessible early warning systems and emergency shelters. The demands were included in a declaration adopted on Thursday during a climate consultation, Radio Tamazuj reports.
The participants called for predictable funding to ensure communities can adapt, ahead of COP31, the United Nations climate conference due to be held in Türkiye. They warned that floods, droughts and heatwaves threaten education, access to clean water, food and healthcare, particularly for displaced children and vulnerable populations.
Seventeen-year-old climate activist Siama Santino said that heatwaves in 2024 and 2025 had disrupted his education. In Bor, where he previously studied, flooding made his journeys to school difficult. He called on the authorities to help families prepare for climate emergencies and support displaced people.
The children also raised the alarm over damage to homes and crops, which worsens food insecurity and health risks. Their demands echo warnings already made by South Sudanese girls about the effects of flooding on education on 11 October.
