Success Story from CHTI: Manoah Aligo's life experience

Success Story from CHTI: Manoah Aligo’s life experience

I am Manoah Aligo, a South Sudanese from “Yei”, a small town in central Equatoria state. The town borders Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo. The communities living in this region depend on small-scale agriculture to sustain their families. As for African society, some men believe in marriage with more than one wife, which according to their beliefs, is a sign of strength and wealth, while others, of Christian religion, marry only one wife. I was born in a Christian family, as the last born.

Because South Sudan was hard hit by the civil war, it was difficult for many people to gain access to formal education at a young age; many girls ended up getting married very young: going to school when they grew up is considered a stigma, and because of this, my older sisters were unable to get an education. However, I started elementary school in the village in 2000, at the age of 10. We could attend classes under trees and write on the ground because of the lack of books: we used our fingers as pens and sticks to calculate figures. Our teachers were able to improvise blackboards with old iron plates and charcoal as chalk, which were useful to all the students during their lessons. The day I will never forget was the day my aunt brought for me books and pens to join my primary two. Happiness filled up my heart and my eyes opened: I started knowing the sweetness of school. Thanks to the support of my cousin, I completed my primary and high school in Yei between 2007 and 2012.

Having enough interest in learning, my plan was to enroll in college in 2013, but the same cousin who had supported me in the past passed away during the political crisis of 2013. This made my plans failed, because I just had to make do for myself and family to survive. The worst happened again in 2015, when my lovely mother, “the only pillar of the house,” died. This made my life once again very difficult, because my lovely dad could not raise some money for my school because of a disability. I lost hope in life and my strength and interest for school decreased. I looked at all directions for help, no one was ready to support, but later I sat down and looked at my future again and realized that I still have a chance to get up and move. I accepted what happened and I asked God to show me the direction. In 2016, I got up, cleaned myself up, and set out on the road to school following my goal. I enrolled as a private student at the University of Juba and completed my first year in natural resources, agricultural science department. Life was still difficult because I could not afford to combine hard work for the family with studies. Toward the end of 2016, someone told me about the Catholic Health Training Institute in Wau, I received an application form from the CARITAS office in Juba and applied to become a nurse. Thereafter, God opened for me the door and I passed the interview. On 8th of January 2017, I was brought at CHTI compound and the school became my best home: I was able to meet different friends from different parts of the country and it was beautiful staying together.

In February 2020, Solidarity offered me another opportunity to study, but two weeks after I arrived in Kenya, things became difficult due to COVID19 interrupting the program. Although things were not easy, I was able to continue and complete my bachelor’s degree in nursing at Uzima University in Kisumu, Kenya, thanks to the help of Solidarity with South Sudan in cooperation with the leadership of the Catholic Health Science Institute in Wau.

I am grateful for my achievement: currently, I am a Tutor in Catholic Health Training Institute Wau under the Solidarity support and I am happy to do the service entrusted to me!

Thanks to God almighty for having helped me through all challenges I encountered during my education journey, and thanks to the donors who dedicated their lives and finance in support of the poor in pursuing education.

May God bless Solidarity, CHTI, and those hands that supported me through my struggle for success. Amen!