News

Just 12 days to go until the Friends of Ibba Girls School Big Give! From 2–9 December, every donation will be doubled, helping us reach our £72,000 goal to empower over 300 girls in South Sudan. Join our free online Big Give Party on 6 December and help us spread the word — together, we can empower her future!

Each year, #World Food Day reminds all of us at Friends of Ibba Girls School (FIGS) of the shared responsibility we have in building a world where everyone has access to safe, nutritious, and sustainable food. Yet, despite global efforts, hunger and malnutrition remain critical challenges. According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), nearly 140 million people faced high levels of acute food insecurity in 2024, with conflict identified as the leading cause. Alongside conflict, climate change is driving shifts in crop yields, altering fish populations, and increasing the spread of pests and diseases that threaten already fragile food systems. Friends of Ibba Girls School (FIGS), a UK charity supporting the education of over 300 girls at Ibba Girls Boarding School in South Sudan, works to ensure that access to nutritious food is a key part of that education. Good nutrition is the foundation of health and learning, but sustainable food systems are the foundation of nutrition itself. The FAO highlights that sustainable development will not succeed unless it places local communities at its centre, in turn, empowering farmers, fisherfolk, and young people with the tools and decision-making power to manage natural resources wisely. When communities can grow food sustainably, they not only feed themselves but also nurture the land for generations to come. At Ibba Girls Boarding School (IGBS) in South Sudan, these global challenges are met with local action. This year, the school has expanded its farm by one and a half hectares, giving each class its own plot of land to cultivate. Under the guidance of Agriculture Teacher Mr. Tabani John, students are learning to grow a variety of crops, including maize, spinach, eggplant, and tomatoes. Plans are also underway to plant 400 coffee seedlings and 56 orange trees, both to enrich the diet at school and to generate future income. “We have planted maize and hope that the harvest will reduce the expenditure on food,” explains Head Teacher Rita Akelo. “After maize, we intend to plant coffee and oranges. This will help the school generate income in the near future.” The school garden has become more than a food source; it is a classroom for life. As a Secondary 4 student shared, “My experience in the garden has been marvellous because it’s a time we share different skills from our homes and learn teamwork. Our teachers remind us that agriculture is the backbone of our country.” For other students, the experience has also bridged the gap between theory and practice: “The garden has helped me transform my classroom knowledge into real-life skills. I was happy knowing we’ll eat maize flour produced within our school.” Additionally, the benefits of the farm are reaching families beyond the school gates. As one student explained: “The skills I’ve learnt here have enabled me to teach my mother back home. Now our family grows vegetables like tomatoes and eggplants, which we sell to buy essentials like salt and soap.” Through this initiative, IGBS is not only cultivating crops, but also self-reliance, resilience, and empowerment. With support from Friends of Ibba Girls School (FIGS), the school’s farm is helping young women become leaders in sustainable agriculture, ensuring that the lessons of World Food Day are lived every day in the fields of Ibba.

Over the summer, Céline Barbera-Saulnier, a postgraduate student at University College London, has been undertaking research about the impact of IGBS through the eyes of school leavers and teachers. She explored whether and how IGBS played a role in the empowerment of women.

The second blog on David and Jean's October 2022 visit to South Sudan.

The first blog on David and Jean's October 2022 visit to South Sudan.

Read about the fascinating webinar on 17th April that delved in the role of girls' education in promoting peace and development in South Sudan.

Join us for our virtual walk from Coventry (our HQ) to Ibba, Steps for South Sudan. Our 8,494 kilometre trek will take us through some stunning landscapes while raising money for Ibba Girls' School.

FIGS Trustee, Margaret Eddershaw, writes about her upcoming video of poems celebrating Florence Nightingale, in support of health care provision at Ibba Girls' Boarding School.

Marking the anniversary of South Sudan's independence, Mark Simmons (FIGS CEO) looks back on the journey of the country and considers how things are now - looking forward with hope.

CEO, Mark Simmons, provides an update to our supporters on World Health Day 2020 and extends a special thank you to the school's nurse, Regina

To celebrate International Women's Day, 2020, we spoke with Nagomoro Bridget, the Founding Chair of Ibba Girls' School to find out more about her.

To mark World Day of Social Justice, 2020, CEO of Friends of Ibba Girls' School, Mark Simmons, reflects on the political developments in the country

FIGS Chair of Trustees, John, with FIGS Trustee, Jean, and IGBS Founding Chair, Bridget, discusses a recent visit to South Sudan.

Every year, a team of volunteers from Friends of Ibba Girls' School (FIGS) and Ibba Girls' Boarding School staff conduct a developmental review of the School. FIGS trustee Professor Jean Hartley has led the review team every year and reflects below on the findings this year.

FIGS CEO, Mark Simmons, discusses the reputation and importance of Human Rights.

60 years ago today, on the fifth Universal Children’s Day in 1959, the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child. 30 years later, on 20 November 1989, it adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Today is International Day of the Girl Child, and FIGS CEO Mark Simmons comments on how far we have come and how far we still have to go in achieving both equality and quality in education in South Sudan.

Julia Sanders, FIGS Trustee and Volunteer, gives a first-hand report of her recent visit to IGBS with Paul.

Volunteer, Paul Sanders, shares photographs taken on his recent visit to Ibba Girls' School.

As Term 3 opens at Ibba Girls’ Boarding School, Mark Simmons reflects on his visit to the school last month and the improving prospects for peace in South Sudan.

Mark Simmons marks the anniversary of South Sudan's independence, looking back on the journey so far and looking forward with hope for the future.

Mark Simmons recently attended the European Development Days in Brussels - here are some of his reflections.

Mark Simmons discusses the current political situations in South Sudan and Sudan.

Report for the end of the first term of Ibba Girls' Boarding School's sixth year.

Happy International Women's Day! As we strive towards #BalanceforBetter by empowering the girl students in Ibba, South Sudan, here are some reflections from FIGS CEO, Mark Simmons, on the origins of Women's Day and the importance of education in achieving gender equality.

FIGS CEO Mark Simmons discusses the recent 'White Saviour' debate and the importance of deliberate collaboration in transformational development work.

Commemorating International Women’s Day in 2017, UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova stated that “we will do justice to the world by promoting girls’ education as the single most powerful transformational force to improve lives and societies”.