Across Sudan

Peter Nyimuni an Accelerated Learning Program (ALP) student at level 4 in Boma ALP is 39 years old.

He lives in a small village called Ille Salaam, in Boma payam in Boma Sub-County, Pibor County, Jonglei State.
He is married to one wife and they have one child; two of their children have died .Their son James who is 5 years old is in Pre-school first year. Peter pays for his feeding at school and bought him a uniform. James is in Boma pre-school uniform in the photo. 
Peter goes to Boma ALP School every day and studies  from 8:00 am  up to 5:00 pm, then at 6:00 pm he  goes  to work for Merlin- Boma as a Security Guard.
Peter was a child Soldier before peace was signed.  He joined SPLA when he was 15 years old because life was very hard at home. He was taken for Military training for one year in Ethiopia (Diima Military Training school) . While there, he was injured and left with a disability.  He was one time punished severely; he was beaten until one of his arms broke for making the small mistake of not cutting a big enough bundle of poles.  This happened after Peter and group of other soldiers were sent to bring poles for construction.  From that incident until now, his arms are not strong enough.
When Across came to Boma, Peter got a job as a watch man in Across compound.  While with Across, he developed an interest to go to school when he saw the ALP books with some Across staff.
In 2007, two of Across staff,  Janet and Lucy started teaching Peter English and Maths from the compound during their  free time. In 2008, he developed an interest to join others in class.. He  was given placement test and passed. He was then placed ALP level 2. This year 2011, Peter is in level 4 and has registered to sit the Primary Leaving Exams for Jonglei State.
Today, Peter says he is not the same. He has  learnt a lot of things, such as basic health care, reading and writing skills.  He can communicate well in English.  Even the hygiene in his home is improved; he shares with his wife what he learns in school especially on keeping environment clean. She keeps good hygiene. Peter learnt Agriculture, he says  he  does not depend only on food from the market as he cultivates  maize and feeds his family from his garden. He sends their  son to school.  Peter says, “I am  different.  All these are the result of the education I got from the ALP program”.
Peter wants to learn business skills and become a successful business man in future. He does not  want to work as security guard because one of his  arms is now weak.
Peter  faces the  problem of raiders from other cattle keepers. He  lost his  elder brother who looked  after his cattle and in April this year  he lost all his cattle to the raiders. After this incident Peter realized that wealth is not in cattle, but education. That is why  he  decided, in June, to send his son James to Boma pre-school. He said he wants to educate James to a higher level than he has achieved himself.

Education-Boma  2011