Across South Sudan, many young people are fighting over ethnic differences.

But dozens of teenagers from different tribes have come together in Yambio, united by a shared passion for learning and sharing knowledge with others.

They are training to be teachers at Solidarity South Sudan. The organization has already trained approximately 200 teachers, many of whom are working in schools across the country.

The trainees say they want to become teachers so they can give children who are suffering because of ongoing conflict the opportunity to reach their full potential.

“I will give them hope, I will give them love, peace, how to share things, how to live together,” said teacher trainee, Gisma Taban. “I will encourage them. That’s why I want to be a teacher.”

The training programme is led by Sister Margaret Scott from Our Lady of the Missions in New Zealand. She has been working alongside volunteers from around the world to train young teachers in South Sudan for 10 years.

“For them, it’s like a vocation, it’s not a job. It’s a vocation they believe in and they are doing,” says Sister Margaret Scott. “They want to help their people. They often talk about giving something to the younger generation and I think that’s a good way to approach education.

The UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UN Mission in South Sudan, David Shearer met the students on a visit to Yambio. As a former teacher himself, he says education is the most powerful gift you can give a child.

“When you look at the enthusiasm of those kids, they’re looking to the future of their country,” he said. “You can’t do anything better than to educate people. They might lose their house or their job or their car or whatever possessions they have but you can’t take away an education.”