About Us
Founded in 2023 in Juba, South Sudan, Next Door Scholars was born out of urgency. South Sudan’s youth, already bearing the weight of conflict, displacement, and economic instability, face enormous barriers to education and opportunity. We believe every young person deserves not just a chance to go to college, but also the support to succeed and lead change.
Our Context
South Sudan has one of the highest rates of out-of-school children in the world. According to UNESCO and USAID, more than 2.2 million children are currently out of school. UNESCO UIS
Roughly 3 out of every 5 primary-school-aged children are not enrolled in primary school. World Vision International+1
Illiteracy remains high: over 70% of South Sudanese over the age of 15 cannot read or write. Among women, the rate is even worse. USAID+2World Vision International+2
The Impact of War on Education
The long civil war (since 2013) has deeply damaged South Sudan’s education system. Key impacts include:
School Destruction & Closures
Over 800 schools have been destroyed; many more are non-functional or unsafe. IIEP UNESCO+2The Guardian+2
Enrollment Loss
Areas affected by conflict saw a drop of approximately 18-19% in primary school enrollment compared to non-conflict zones. INEE
Girls Disproportionately Affected
For older girls, secondary and primary enrollment rates drop sharply—few continue beyond primary. UNESCO UIS+2World Vision International+2
Why Next Door Scholars Exists
These statistics tell a clear story: young people in South Sudan are facing educational disruption, illiteracy, and exclusion. Many youths are too old to benefit from primary or secondary education schemes, lack qualifications, or are disconnected from resources to apply to universities. War and displacement have destroyed infrastructure, displaced families, and disrupted continuity in learning.
Next Door Scholars seeks to close this gap for youth aged roughly 18-30 (or similar) by offering:
- Mentorship and guidance to prepare applications for higher education.
- Academic readiness—helping scholars build the skills, confidence, and credentials they need.
- Support navigating scholarship and financial aid systems.