Early and forced marriage has many devastating consequences: it increases girls’ risk of death or complications during pregnancy and childbirth. It is one of the primary reasons why 76% of South Sudanese girls are out-of-school; and it put girls at greater risk of sexual, physical and emotional violence.

In 2014, Girls’ Education South Sudan, more commonly known as GESS, set out with a mission: To transform the lives of a generation of children through education – especially girls and those in the margins of society. Not only so that more girls enrol in and attend school, but so they also transition to secondary level education and receive a better quality of education. In 2014 there were only 353,133 girls in primary schools across South Sudan.

Turning hoop dreams into reality! 🏀 Thanks to Stanbic Bank, NBA Africa, and the Luol Deng Foundation, South Sudan’s youth now have a league to call their own. But the Jr. NBA League is more than just basketball—it’s a powerful movement for growth, culture, and empowerment, inspiring a brighter future for all. #StanbicJrNBA #NBAAfrica #LuolDengFoundation

Girls’ Education South Sudan gives cash transfers to all girls enrolled from P5-S4 in school across South Sudan, as an incentive to stay in school and complete their education.  Children and especially girls with disabilities often miss out or drop out of school early because of negative societal beliefs and other environmental and financial barriers. GESS has been working hard to change this, by improving national systems for collecting disability data and tracking that girls with disabilities receive the cash transfer.