Greenbelt Academies
Our work
Greenbelt Academies deliver rigorous secondary education in Bor and Juba, South Sudan. Our schools develop the academic skills, leadership, and values that South Sudan’s next generation of leaders needs.
The Model
Pillar one
Greenbelt Academies are high schools for Grades 9 - 12. We deliver an integrated curriculum that combines South Sudan's national syllabus with Ugandan and Kenyan curricula, filling the gaps left by a national system that provides insufficient rigour. We employ over 45 teachers from South Sudan and Uganda, and we hold our schools to the highest academic standards. Both campuses rank among the top five schools in South Sudan. Greenbelt Academy Bor held the number one ranking nationally in 2021.
Pillar two
South Sudan needs a generation of ethical, visionary leaders. At our schools, we believe all young people have the potential to lead and the ability to learn how to. We encourage students to take responsibility for challenges, to serve in their communities, and to pursue their ambitions. We provide dedicated support and mentorship on the transition from secondary school to university and careers. We also provide dedicates paces for students to hone their passions and leadership skills.
Pillar three
South Sudan's future depends on leaders who can work across the ethnic and communal divisions that conflict has deepened. Students engage with structured curricula on conflict analysis, ethical leadership, community responsibility, and cross-cultural dialogue. Students become thoughtful communicators and collaborators, they learn to resolve conflict and engage in dialogue, and become stewards of peace beyond the campus.
Who We Serve
Fewer than 5% of girls in South Sudan complete secondary school. Early marriage, financial pressure, safety concerns, and the absence of female-friendly facilities keep the majority out of school before they finish. We address each of these barriers directly. Both campuses have dedicated girls’ boarding facilities, which we believe is one of the most effective interventions for improving female completion rates. Our Girls’ Education Fund provides scholarships that remove the financial barriers many face. Our teaching approaches and Leadership & Peacebuilding curriculum actively challenge the gender norms that tell girls their education is less important.
We believe diversity in schools is one of the most important ways to bridge inter-communal tensions and work toward peace. Our schools are open to students from all 63 ethnic communities in South Sudan. Diverse schools can provide the platform for peace-building, reconciliation, and deeply meaningful lifelong friendships.
Most families in South Sudan have experienced displacement and financial constrain in the last years. While all our students pay subsidised school fees, we also ensure we have full scholarships available to support those going through particularly difficult financial strain. We believe all students should be given a chance to fulfil their potential.
Our Campuses
Bor, Jonglei State · Est. 2017
Greenbelt Academy Bor is Education Bridge’s founding campus and the proof of concept for the model. Opened in February 2017 with 200 students and a single classroom block, it has grown into on of the most academically accomplished secondary schools in South Sudan. The school’s alumni network is now active across universities and professional settings nationally and internationally.
Key facts:
Juba, Central Equatoria · Est. 2022
Greenbelt Academy Juba opened in May 2022, bringing the Education Bridge model to South Sudan’s capital. The Juba campus currently serves 350 students. Its location in Juba gives Education Bridge a presence at the centre of South Sudan’s civic, governmental, and economic life and positions our graduates for the careers and leadership roles that will shape the country’s future.
Key facts:
Looking ahead: Third Campus Coming Soon
A third campus is planned for 2028. We expanding our network into a third region and moving Education Bridge closer to its goal of a nationally representative school network. A feasibility study is currently underway.
Student Snapshots
Visionary Graduates
BSc at the University of Pennsylvania
BSc at the University of Pennsylvania
Panther is a Greenbelt Academy alumnus from the inaugural class. At Greenbelt he excelled academically and engaged in the peace and leadership program. From Greenbelt, he was accepted into the African Leadership Academy, and later studied BSc in Neuroscience at the University of Notre Dame. He is currently doing a Masters at UPenn. In his free-time he organises basketball tournaments in South Sudan to help young people develop peacebuilding skills through sports. Panther is passionate about building accessible quality healthcare in South Sudan.
Finance at USIU Africa, in Nairobi Kenya
Finance at USIU Africa, in Nairobi Kenya
Ayuen Machar graduated from Greenbelt with a passion for women's rights. She is a recipient of the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship, and is studying Finance at United States International University - Africa, in Nairobi, Kenya. She spends her free time in South Sudan, leading women's empowerment workshops, and ensuring girls have access to educational opportunities.
Founder of EduPower Youth Foundation
Founder of EduPower Youth Foundation
Kur Peter is a 2019 graduate of Greenbelt Academy. He is dedicated to expanding access to education and entrepreneurship for young people in South Sudan. While a student, he founded Edupower Youth in response to the lack of books and study spaces in his community, an initiative that has since donated over 20,000 books to 10 schools, established Greenbelt Academy’s first library, and distributed solar study lights to students without access to electricity. Kur has also trained dozens of children across many schools in entrepreneurship, empowering them to lead student-run clubs and develop practical business skills, and he continues to work toward expanding community libraries and youth entrepreneurship programs across the country.
65%+
Of our graduates transition to university
715
Alumni from our first four graduating classes
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