Nancy Apio Alesio, ICT Instructor and Scholarship Assistant, South Sudan

For the past five years, Nancy Apio Alesio, has been an integral part of Mercy Beyond Borders’ (MBB) work in Narus, South Sudan. She has dedicated her life to helping girls harness their inner strength and potential through education. One of the most profound impressions working with MBB Scholars has made on her, is witnessing their journeys go full-circle when they become teachers themselves. 

Nancy listened to her life’s calling which was to give back to her community. She utilized her certificate in journalism and social development, along with her experience as a protection monitor, to do so in a myriad of ways.

“I have always had a dream of giving back to the community,” Nancy says. “And this is what Mercy Beyond Borders does.”

What first drew her to the organization was its commitment to educating women and girls in the country she calls home. Her work has been motivated by a core belief — that by uplifting a girl through education, by extension, her family and community are uplifted too. The ripple effect, Nancy believes, can eventually uplift an entire nation.

Her days are filled with purposeful work. From checking in with partner schools and gathering stories of scholarship recipients to teaching computer classes, English, and mathematics, Nancy moves through her day to the tempo set by the rhythms of the girls she serves as she helps them navigate challenges both in and outside the classroom.

One of the greatest joys in her work comes from seeing knowledge extend outward, exponentially. When girls understand what she teaches and pass that knowledge on to siblings and parents at home, Nancy sees the true impact of education taking root. She sees it beginning to challenge patriarchal norms that have long prioritized long prioritized marrying girls off rather than educating them and recognizing their inherent worth, potential, and rights.

This work comes with inevitable challenges. In communities deeply affected by the trauma of war which has plagued South Sudan for years, and guided by archaic social archetypes, Nancy recalls difficult moments when concerned parents, fearful and protective, arrived at school in distress. MBB’s staff training and support enabled her to respond in a way that has helped cultivate relationships of trust and mutual support between the school and girls’ families.

The results of this work are visible across Narus. Nancy points to girls like MBB Alumnae, Cecilia Karama (enrolled with MBB in 2011), a university graduate who is now working as a social worker and applying her education to help her own family and community. As Nancy explains: “The girls are able to get their families out of poverty, educate the community on the importance of education, take their siblings to school, and understand their rights. It is important to invest in girls’ education and leadership because educated girls are prioritized in the community. Community members often listen to educated girls because they are believed to have a clearer vision.”

Working with MBB has given Nancy hope for a part of the world many have forgotten. She says, “MBB activities have rescued many women from poverty and given girls rescued from forced marriage hope to remain resilient.”

She continues on to say, “The fact that many girls are now in school and more are graduating gives me hope. Women have also understood the importance of education and are enrolling in adult education. In my free time, I step into adult classes to teach English and Mathematics, which also helps me explain concepts better to the girls. My dream is to see girls empowered through education, practicing the skills they acquired in school, educating future generations, promoting peace and unity, ensuring human rights are practiced and protecting children from harmful traditions.”

Through her work, Nancy sees a future for South Sudan where a generation of empowered girls use education to instigate progressive paradigm shifts that recognize the value and potential of all.