Almost all the students from South Sudan are orphans; there are a handful of South Sudanese children who are not orphans but their parents are unable to provide food, shelter or education for them. The students in our program are carefully selected from among the brightest and most eager refugee orphans from Arok’s community. They exhibit leadership qualities and have an aptitude for the discipline and rigors of higher level learning.
The selected K-8th grade children are offered an education at Roots Academy, a boarding school located in Nakuru, Kenya. Older students attend high schools across Kenya, according to their performance on an eighth-grade exit exam. All students are in school for three-month terms and one-month breaks, based on the British system. In an effort to create an environment of security, opportunity, and stability from the harsh conditions at the refugee camp, Arok has established a safe home base compound in Nakuru where the students live during their time off from school.