The school is dedicated to Rosa Sarracini, head of Sant'Egidio in Uganda, who recently passed away.
On 10 July, a delegation of Sant'Egidio visited the “School of Peace” of the Community in the Nyumanzi refugee camp in northern Uganda. Set up in 2014, at the peak of the refugee crisis caused by the war in South Sudan, this school was Sant'Egidio's concrete response, in collaboration with the local Diocese of Arua, to the demand of a future for so many children who had lost everything.
At first, lessons were held in the shade of trees, surrounded by the dust and tents of the camp, which then provided shelter for about 10,000 refugees. Then, thanks to the support of friends and donors, it was possible to build a real school with seven classrooms, desks, blackboards and textbooks, which now welcomes about 1,000 children free of charge, and also offers them a daily meal. The high attendance rate and remarkably positive academic results show the children's great desire to go to school and the value of the educational programme.
During the visit, the School of Peace was dedicated to Rosa Sarracini, head of the Community in Uganda, who recently passed away. She supported and loved this project from the very beginning. The ceremony was presided over by the Bishop of Arua, Sabino Ocan Odoki, who thanked the Community for its loyalty and tireless commitment, especially in difficult times when aid has become scarcer. The plaque unveiled at the end of the celebration now has Rosa's name, testifying to her dream come true: a school of peace in the midst of the suffering of war.
The name ‘School of Peace’ is not just symbolic. It is an educational and cultural choice that stems from the conviction that the encounter between children of different ethnicities and backgrounds is the basis for building a different future. It is a sign of hope in a place where too many have only experienced suffering.
At the end of the ceremony, a big party filled the school courtyard: food, dancing and smiles animated the afternoon, honouring not only a dedication, but her life spent for others.
