Nyajuma Children’s Climate Education Programme 2026 Officially Launched in Juba

Strengthening Climate Education and Environmental Awareness Among Children Across South Sudan

Juba, South Sudan, 3 September 2026: Eden Foundation South Sudan, in partnership with The Achol Philip Foundation and the National Ministry of General Education and Instruction, officially launched the Nyajuma Children’s Climate Education Programme 2026 at C.M.S Primary School, Episcopal Diocese of Juba, Anglican Communion.

The programme represents a collaborative effort to strengthen climate and environmental education within primary schools and to equip children with knowledge, awareness and practical skills to better understand environmental challenges and contribute to climate resilience within their communities.

The 2026 programme will be implemented across Central Equatoria, Western Bahr el Ghazal and Jonglei States, beginning in Juba, continuing in Wau and concluding in Bor. Through school based activities, educational resources, teacher engagement and practical environmental action, the programme seeks to create opportunities for children to engage with climate issues in ways that are relevant to their communities and everyday experiences.

Government and Partners Convene to Advance Climate Education

The official launch was attended by the National Minister of General Education and Instruction, Dr. Kuyok Abol Kuyok, accompanied by Mr. David Lowala, Director General for Basic Education, and other senior officials from the Ministry.

The event brought together representatives of government, schools, teachers, pupils, youth led environmental organisations, civil society and programme partners.

The participation of the Ministry underscores the importance of strengthening environmental and climate related learning within the education sector and ensuring that children and young people are equipped to understand the environmental challenges affecting their communities.

For South Sudan, where communities face increasing pressures associated with flooding, environmental degradation, displacement and impacts on livelihoods, strengthening knowledge and awareness from an early age can contribute to longer term resilience.

The Nyajuma programme provides a platform for children to explore these issues through age appropriate educational materials and practical activities.

Bringing Climate Education into Schools

A central component of the programme is the Nyajuma climate education book, which has been developed as a key learning resource for participating schools.

During the launch, 100 copies of the Nyajuma books were formally handed over to C.M.S Primary School.

The educational resources are intended to support teachers and pupils in exploring themes related to climate change, environmental protection, sustainability and practical environmental action.

By placing climate education within school settings, the programme seeks to make environmental learning more accessible to children while supporting teachers to facilitate discussions around issues that increasingly affect communities across South Sudan.

The approach recognises schools as important spaces not only for academic learning, but also for developing knowledge, attitudes and behaviours that can contribute to more resilient communities.

From Learning to Practical Environmental Action

The launch also featured a tree planting exercise, providing pupils and other participants with an opportunity to translate environmental learning into practical action.

The activity was jointly conducted by the National Minister of General Education and Instruction, Eden Foundation Executive Director Abul Majur Dak, teachers, pupils, representatives of The Achol Philip Foundation and other partners.

Tree planting was selected as one of the practical activities accompanying the launch to reinforce the relationship between environmental education and community level action.

For participating children, the activity provided an opportunity to engage directly with an environmental intervention while learning about the importance of trees and the role of healthy ecosystems in supporting communities.

Engaging Children as Participants in Climate Action

The Nyajuma Children’s Climate Education Programme places children at the centre of climate learning.

Pupils from C.M.S Primary School, St. Lawrence Primary School and Juba Diplomatic Primary School participated in the launch activities.

The programme seeks to move beyond treating children solely as recipients of information and instead create opportunities for them to ask questions, develop environmental awareness and participate in practical activities.

This approach is aligned with the broader recognition of children and young people as important stakeholders in climate action and sustainable development.

Through education, children can develop a stronger understanding of the relationship between environmental conditions, livelihoods, health, water, food systems and community resilience.

The programme also provides an opportunity for young people to develop a sense of responsibility and ownership around environmental issues affecting their communities.

A Multi State Approach to Climate Education

Following the launch in Juba, the Nyajuma Children’s Climate Education Programme will extend to Wau, Western Bahr el Ghazal, before concluding in Bor, Jonglei State.

Implementing the programme across different states will provide an opportunity to engage children and educators from diverse communities and to understand how climate and environmental issues are experienced in different local contexts.

The programme's geographic approach also reflects the importance of ensuring that climate education is not concentrated only in urban centres, but reaches children in different parts of the country.

Lessons and experiences from implementation will contribute to strengthening the programme and informing future approaches to climate and environmental education.

Partnership and National Ownership

The launch demonstrates the value of partnerships between government institutions, civil society organisations, schools and development partners in advancing climate education.

The collaboration between Eden Foundation South Sudan, The Achol Philip Foundation and the National Ministry of General Education and Instruction provides a platform for combining institutional leadership, community engagement, educational expertise and environmental programming.

Such partnerships are particularly important in contexts where climate impacts intersect with existing challenges related to education, livelihoods, displacement and access to essential services.

The programme contributes to broader national and global priorities related to quality education, climate action, environmental sustainability and inclusive participation of children and young people.

It is also consistent with the objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 4 on Quality Education and SDG 13 on Climate Action, while contributing to wider environmental and community resilience objectives.

Investing in Climate Knowledge for the Next Generation

Climate education is an important component of long term climate resilience.

While communities require investments in infrastructure, disaster preparedness, livelihoods and other adaptation measures, building knowledge and awareness among children can complement these efforts by strengthening the capacity of future generations to understand and respond to environmental risks.

The Nyajuma programme therefore approaches climate education as an investment in human capacity.

By introducing children to environmental concepts at an early age, the programme aims to support the development of environmentally informed citizens who can contribute to sustainable practices within their schools, families and communities.

Teachers are also critical to this process. Their engagement creates opportunities for climate and environmental concepts to become part of children's broader learning experiences rather than remaining isolated from the formal education environment.

Looking Ahead

The September launch in Juba marks the beginning of the 2026 implementation cycle.

Over the coming months, the programme will extend its activities to participating schools in Wau and Bor, building on the experience of the Juba launch and continuing to engage children, teachers and relevant stakeholders.

The programme will focus on strengthening children's understanding of climate and environmental issues while creating opportunities for practical participation.

As implementation progresses, Eden Foundation South Sudan and its partners will continue to work with schools, government stakeholders and other partners to strengthen the reach and relevance of climate education for children in South Sudan.

A Shared Commitment to Children, Education and Climate Resilience

The successful launch of the Nyajuma Children’s Climate Education Programme 2026 demonstrates what can be achieved when government, schools, civil society and partners work together around a shared objective.

For South Sudan, investing in children’s education is an investment in the country's long term resilience and sustainable development.

The Nyajuma programme seeks to contribute to that investment by creating spaces where children can learn about their environment, understand climate related challenges and participate in practical actions that promote environmental responsibility.

Eden Foundation South Sudan extends its appreciation to Dr. Kuyok Abol Kuyok, National Minister of General Education and Instruction, Mr. David Lowala, Director General for Basic Education, and the senior officials of the Ministry for their participation and support.

We further acknowledge The Achol Philip Foundation, the participating schools, teachers, pupils, youth environmental organisations and programme partners whose collaboration has contributed to the launch and implementation of the programme.

The programme now moves forward from Juba to Wau and ultimately to Bor, with a shared commitment to strengthening climate education and supporting a generation of children better equipped to understand and contribute to a more resilient and sustainable South Sudan.

Programme : Nyajuma Children’s Climate Education Programme 2026

Lead Organization : Eden Foundation South Sudan

Partners: The Achol Philip Foundation; National Ministry of General Education and Instruction

Implementation Locations: Juba, Central Equatoria; Wau, Western Bahr el Ghazal; Bor, Jonglei State

Launch Date: 3 September 2026

Launch Venue: C.M.S Primary School, Episcopal Diocese of Juba, Anglican Communion