In 1977, the Kassala Catholic Church School was established by Father Marino Haile, in the Wedelhilaw Refugee camp in eastern Sudan. At that time, the school provided primary and intermediate-level education in Tigrigna and English. It later moved to the city of Kassala to serve a larger number of refugees. At that time, the school was sponsored by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees – UNHCR – (became locally known as the UNESCO school for that) and began to provide education at the intermediate and secondary levels. The School is in effect made up of 4 schools – two elementary schools funded by the Catholic Church, a middle (also referred to as Junior) school, and a senior/high school funded by the UNHCR.
The School continued to serve refugees until 1997, the year UNHCR stopped funding it, resulting in the closure of the middle and high school levels. The elementary feeder schools however continued being supported by the Catholic Church, which subsequently took on the responsibility of filling the void left by the UNHCR for the middle and high levels of the school.
The Catholic Church School used to receive funding from a religious Association, a small Organization guided by Capuchin Friars, that collected money from donors. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen events, along with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the donors’ Association informed the school management that it will not be able to continue funding the schools and that the School is to seek alternative sources of funding. Since November 2021 the School has been facing extreme financial hardship and struggling to keep its doors open.
The school administration, headed by Father Gabrai Bidimariam started reaching out to former students who reside around the world to ask for support. At the time, the School administration was three months overdue in paying the salaries of their staff. The former students were able to help cover the overdue fees and salaries.
In the current academic year, the school provides education to more than 450 students (463 to be exact). The School provides not only education but also a sense of belonging and identity for these refugees children. It is the only hope for these students. Its closure will have a disastrous impact on them and their future. The continuation of this School is very critical since it is the only School available for refugees. As attested by hundreds of Alumni of the schools, the School was instrumental in providing opportunities for post-secondary education to its students, thereby breaking the cycle of poverty.
Today, the School for Eritrean refugees in Kassala is at a crossroads. There is a real risk of a permanent closure of the school due to lack of funds, potentially leaving hundreds of students to lose their only opportunity for education. A closed school translates to a bleak future for the many Eritrean refugees in Kassala. Therefore, the time has come for the Alumni of “UNESCO” and their families and friends to accord the same helping hand to educate, enlighten, and break the cycle of poverty. It is with that spirit that we ask for your help so that what was started in the late 1970s by the dedicated teachers of Kassala “UNESCO” continues. This is how we honor them and show our gratitude.