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BENTIU - “Every morning, I am relieved that nothing happened to me on my way to school. But not going is not an option for me.”

Seventeen-year-old Hope has just returned to Bentiu, after spending years in a refugee camp in Uganda due to the conflict that has ravaged South Sudan.

Living in a camp for displaced families, she has managed to resume her studies, taking her one step closer to her dream of becoming a pilot or public speaker.

Regarding the latter, her potential is already undeniable. She responds to questions in perfect English, her favorite subject that she only started studying a few years ago.

Within a few minutes, she inspires an audience of other school children to gather around her while she recollects her experiences and hopes.

And there are many of both.

Experiences of growing up in a war-torn country which required her to demonstrate remarkable resilience. Hopes for a future that she’s working hard to build, every day and every night.

Hope’s day starts before sunrise - as it is the case for many residents at the Bentiu displacement camp. At 4.30am, the area is already crowded with people collecting safe drinking water, particularly important during a cholera outbreak.

As dawn arrives, Hope makes her way to school, the only teaching facility available to more than 100,000 camp residents.

She’s constantly anxious about early morning insecurity, as the fence that once protected this site is now largely destroyed, allowing for easy access for offenders from outside.

Despite the best efforts of the 62 teachers to protect their students, there are incidents of stone throwing as well as sexual violence.

“We just want to be safe. There is so much violence here and in our country in general. Even small children get beaten or raped.”

On top of that, basic sanitation is lacking. The six latrines available to over 300 students are in a dire state, with minimal hygiene and most missing locks.

Despite the challenges, the fact that this school still exists is nothing short of a miracle.

With teachers going unpaid by the Government for many months, they could have looked for opportunities elsewhere. But the children’s unwavering commitment to their studies inspires them to stay.

As the financial situation has become more dire, parents started making voluntary fee payments and children are working after school, building canoes or selling fruit, to help provide small stipends to their teachers. This recognizes the value that the children and their families place on the contribution made by the teaching staff to securing a better future.

“We would have probably closed long ago. But how can you deny these kids their right to education when they clearly do everything they can to keep learning,” smiles head teacher Michael Tergiek as he watches over the children as they study.

There is something that makes them endure all these challenges without giving up. Hope.

Trusting that her name was given to her for a reason, Hope is doing everything in her power to be a symbol of strength and an advocate for the peace that she has been craving all her young life.

Peace begins with Hope, with you, with all of us.