Recent cuts in U.S. foreign aid have severely impacted Sudanese refugees in Chad, putting key programs like education and mental health services at risk. The Aboutengue Secondary School, serving 32,000 refugee students, faces closure due to funding reductions from the U.S. State Department. The refugee community, largely composed of women and children, is feeling the effects of dwindling resources, especially amidst ongoing violence and gender-based issues. Advocacy efforts by organizations like J.R.S. are becoming increasingly difficult as aid diminishes, making the need for educational and supportive services even more critical amidst the humanitarian crisis.
When we told [the students] the decision, that we're going to close the school, most of them were crying, said Aballah Abakar Abdallah, a teacher at the only secondary school in Aboutengue refugee camp.
There's a lot of challenges, but we cannot really drop out of education because we have brothers in the battlefield, said Abdulazeem Abdu Abaker, 18, who fled from El Geneina.
The school, one of the few standing concrete structures in the camp of 45,000 refugees, was once funded by a grant from the U.S. State Department.
J.R.S. said the cuts put the education of roughly 32,000 Sudanese refugee students at risk.
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