By: Ginaba Lino
In a heart-wrenching story from Wulu County, a 10-year-old girl who survived a suicide attempt is pleading with the government and non-governmental organizations for support to return to school.
The young girl, whose identity is withheld for privacy, shared her experience with the Catholic Radio Network (CRN), explaining how her father abandoned their family, leaving her mother unable to pay for school fees.
The girl expressed her distress at watching her friends attend school while she remains at home. Driven by a deep sense of isolation and despair, she attempted to take her own life, feeling that she had no other option.
“Our father left us with our mother, and we don’t have food in the house,” the girl shared in an emotional interview. “I can’t go to school because my mother can’t afford it. When I asked her, she told me she can’t pay because my father left her alone. I thought if this is what life is like, maybe it would be better not to live.”
The girl explained that her longing for education remains strong, and she hopes for a sponsor to support her return to school, adding that her dream is to study, build a future, and help her family and community.
“I’m still not happy because I’m not in school,” she said in a follow-up statement. “If there’s someone who can help me, I’ll be so grateful. All my friends are in school, but I was sent home last year because of fees, and my mother can’t afford to send me back.”
Efforts to speak with those who intervened in her suicide attempt, as well as her mother, were unsuccessful. However, this story underscores the urgent need for support for children in vulnerable situations to access education and mental health resources.
The young survivor’s message to the Catholic Radio Network reflects a hope for change in Wulu County and highlights the essential role of education in shaping the lives of children in Rumbek Lake State.