Her Voice, Her Future: What the Day of the Girl Is All About
What does it mean for a child to face the extremes of hunger – or, in technical terms, severe acute malnutrition (SAM)? It’s something 15-year-old Ayen* from South Sudan has witnessed up close, after her baby sister Nyajuba* became sick.
“Nyajuba had vomiting and diarrhea, and a high fever and a cough,” says Ayen. “She had really reduced weight, and her skin had rashes. And she had eye problems. Her eyes were painful. She was not playing because she was not feeling well. She spent most of her time on the bed.”
Ayen and Nyajuba live in a remote community in Akobo West, South Sudan, where daily life is impacted by the challenges of climate change, conflict, and food insecurity. Tensions between ethnic groups often lead to recurring violence, with disputes sometimes escalating into cycles of retaliation. Additionally flooding – caused by climate change – has resulted in many in the village losing their homes.
Despite these difficult circumstances, Ayen was able to act quickly and took nine-month-old Nyajuba to a nearby Save the Children stabilization centre. There, Nyajuba received the treatment she needed and is on her way to making a full recovery.
“After she was taken to the hospital, she is now able to play,” Ayen says. “I was very happy when she was given medicines but became more excited when I saw her recovered.”
Ayen brought Nyajuba to a Save the Children centre because she already knew about the work we do. She regularly attends our Child-Friendly Space, where she plays volleyball and spends time with other young people. Ayen is also part of a Save the Children–supported adolescents’ group, where she has learned about the impacts of child marriage and other important issues.
“Save the Children came with a message that young girls should not be forced into marriage. They said ’Do not deny your children to go to school because education is very important’,” Ayen remembers.
The information Ayen learned through the adolescents’ group has made her determined to avoid early marriage and complete her education. “It is good that a girl should not be married in her early age,” she says. “Now that education is here, let’s make sure that we all get educated to enable us to develop our land like other countries.”