Save the Children Invests $17M to Protect Learning from Climate Shocks in South Sudan

By Simon Deng

Save the Children, with support from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), has launched a US $17 million project aimed at helping South Sudan’s education system withstand the increasing impacts of climate change.

The initiative, known as Building the Climate Resilience of Children and Communities through the Education Sector (BRACE), will reform policies, rebuild schools, and train youth to protect learning amid worsening climate disasters, benefiting more than 200,000 children, half of whom are girls.

Josephine Joseph Lagu, the Vice President and Chairperson of the Service Cluster, emphasised the need for protection for children from both the government and parents, noting that a teacher training component is crucial for addressing climate-related challenges.

“As we launch this project, we are reviewing our education curricula and practices; we must put children at the centre, and the process should be inclusive. We are not only launching the BRACE project; it is a promise to the children of South Sudan,” said Lagu on Thursday at the Pyramid Hotel during the project’s launch.

“I believe that teacher training will equip educators with the necessary tools to deliver climate-responsive education. We will also engage the community, mobilising local stakeholders to participate in climate adaptation and education planning,” she added.

Christopher Nyamandi, the country director for Save the Children in South Sudan, stated that the organisation, with funding from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), has initiated a $17 million project.

“The BRACE project comes to life with one clear purpose: to strengthen the resilience of children and communities through the education system. With $17 million from the Green Climate Fund and GPE, BRACE will reach over 200,000 children across climate-affected areas,” Nyamandi explained.

“Recurrent floods, droughts, and extreme heat are leaving communities with little time to recover between crises, displacing families and crippling vital services, including education. Through this project, we are helping children learn, adapt, and lead in a changing climate,” he said.

Morten Sigsgaard, the Secretariat country engagement lead for the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), described the building resilience of the education system to climate change (BRACE) as a milestone in global cooperation.

“For the first time ever, the major climate donor, the Green Climate Fund, is co-investing directly in education in South Sudan, contributing $12 million, alongside $4 million from the Global Partnership for Education. Thus, BRACE will invest $16 million in South Sudan,” Sigsgaard noted.

“Education is not only a victim of climate change but also a vital part of the solution. South Sudan, as the first country to access climate finance, has both the privilege and responsibility to advance climate adaptation through education,” he added.

Morjakole Alex Diko, the Director of Programme Education Coalition for the National Education Coalition (NEC), highlighted that climate change is becoming increasingly frequent and severe, disrupting learning, destroying school infrastructure, and displacing children.

“Climate change is now a reality and a significant threat to our children. Over the last two years, our children have been forced to stay home and have lost a considerable amount of learning time. This is a challenge that, if we are not prepared for, will continue to haunt us given the ongoing changes in climate,” Diko warned.

Yayoi Segi-Vltchek, the country representative for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), remarked that the impacts of climate change, including floods, drought, heat waves, and displacement, are profoundly felt by many South Sudanese.

“The impacts of climate change, along with drought and extreme heat, are not abstract threats; they are real, intensifying, and disrupting lives and learning across the country,” Segi-Vltchek stated.

“In 2025 alone, floods affected many schools, interrupting the education of over 300,000 children. Many of these schools have become shelters for displaced families, further compounding the disruption to learning,” she added.

Kuyok Abol Kuyok, the Minister of General Education and Instruction, affirmed his ministry’s commitment to ensuring that children receive quality education despite climate-induced vulnerabilities across the country.

“The $17 million for building climate resilience among children and the education system represents a pivotal moment in our journey to secure our children’s future against the relentless impacts of climate change,” Abol said.

“The ongoing cycles of climate shocks demand that we adopt a new proactive approach on top of essential emergency responses. We must complement our ability to respond to crises with a strengthened capacity to prevent worse impacts on education,” he concluded.

The $17 million climate resilience programme will be implemented in counties including Akobo and Duk in Jonglei, Rumbek in Lakes State, Twic in Warrap, Malakal in Upper Nile, and Kapoeta East in Eastern Equatoria State.