The journey to university for Mary Maker, a Goodwill Ambassador of the UNHCR, highlights the power of education in breaking the cycle of exclusion often endured by forcibly displaced persons.
As Sudan continues to grapple with a devastating humanitarian crisis – marked by widespread displacement and uncertainty – the journey of Mary Maker, a survivor of conflict in South Sudan, sheds light on the importance of inclusion and access to higher education for forcibly displaced persons.
Millions of Sudanese people have been displaced as a result of the war triggered by power struggles following the fall of President Omar al-Bashir. Khartoum became the central battleground.
“The problem with the war in Sudan right now is that the position of Khartoum is in the middle of the country, and so that means, for people to seek safety, to go to the nearby countries, it’s almost impossible,” she told MSM Reporter.
Limited options for safe havens have led many refugees to neighboring countries such as Chad, South Sudan, Eritrea, and Egypt.
Amid the ongoing conflict between Sudan’s military and militia groups, Maker emerged as a voice of hope and inspiration.
Maker’s journey began in the Kakuma Refugee Camp in northwestern Kenya, where she found herself alongside her mother and younger sister. The camp, established in 1992 to shelter the lost boys of South Sudan, accommodates over 450,000 refugees.
Growing up without any formal education, Maker’s exposure to schooling started with her enrollment at Tackwell Nursery School within the camp.
“Now here’s the first win that I saw on that day of getting into my first classroom. Seeing kids that have survived the war and, here, they are being given another opportunity where we can see each other,” she said.
“We all don’t speak the same language, but we see each other in that very same space. So this became my very first introduction to school. But even then, I knew something was not adding up,” Maker added.
With only one teacher struggling to educate over 200 students, she recognized the inequity and exclusion that displaced individuals faced.
Her journey continued as she sought education outside the camp in Nakuru, a small town in Kenya, where classrooms consisted of about 20 students.
Maker realized the harsh truth of her limited opportunities as she advanced in her studies. Reflecting on the challenges she faced, she wondered: “How do you win as a refugee student? The Kakuma Refugee Camp is located in the northwestern part of Kenya. It’s isolated from the rest of the country.”
She added that the scorching temperatures reaching 100 degrees and above have deterred any teacher from wanting to teach there.
“Now, how do I win as Mary?” she said.
Maker’s determination fueled her pursuit of education despite financial constraints and the loss of her father, who had been her source of support.
“[It was] 2012 and I remember being kicked out of the classroom because I couldn’t pay. I didn’t have money to be able to travel back to the camp because it’s costly,” she shared.
Maker defied the odds and graduated from high school in 2015, overcoming hurdles such as unpaid school fees and a lack of resources. However, the dream of attending college was still out of reach for her, who couldn’t afford the tuition fees.
Returning to the refugee camp, Maker resolved to make a difference within her community. She became a teacher, sharing her passion for drama and writing with the children of Kakuma.
She recalled that she was often questioned by the kids on why she wasn’t pursuing her own education, which broke her spirit, knowing she was trapped in a dead end, unable to progress further.
Maker then started applying for every opportunity that came her way, despite the limitations imposed by the camp’s lack of electricity and strict curfews.
“There were just so many roadblocks that were there for the students and for me as Mary, you know, to be able to get to the next level,” she said.
“Some people tell me, you’re really resilient, and you are able to make it. No, I’m not resilient and I didn’t want to be one. I didn’t want to be resilient at all. You know, but I found myself in that kind of position, and I have to give back to the rest of the students,” Maker said.
After enduring years of setbacks, her perseverance finally paid off in 2018 when she secured a place in a program in Rwanda.
Maker is currently engaged in further studies in Theatre and Literature as part of a scholarship program at a university in the United States.
In 2021, she co-founded Elimisha Kakuma – which, in Swahili, means to “educate Kakuma” – a program that prepares high school graduates from the Kakuma Refugee Camp for higher education opportunities. She was also recently appointed Goodwill Ambassador of the UNHCR.
Maker’s story represents the struggle and resilience embodied by thousands of forcibly displaced persons around the world. Their inclusion in higher education is not just a humanitarian issue but a global imperative.
