In many parts of South Sudan, female teachers do far more than teach lessons. They mentor girls, serve as role models, and help communities recognize the value of education. Yet despite their critical contribution, many women educators continue to face professional and social challenges, often with limited opportunities to connect with peers, share experiences, or influence decisions affecting their profession. 

Through the Regional Teachers Initiative in Africa (RTIA), Oxfam and partners have supported Female Teachers Networks in Wulu, Rumbek East and Awerial counties in South Sudan. The networks give women teachers a space to connect, learn from one another and speak collectively about the challenges they and their students face.

The initiative will also allow teachers to automatically qualify as members, creating a community united by a shared commitment to strengthening education and advancing women's leadership within the sector.

For teachers working across remote communities, simply being able to stay connected can make a difference. Oxfam provided mobile phones to help members share ideas despite the distances between schools. 

"We can openly discuss and raise the challenges we face and learn from each other," said Suzan Amou Puil. "When one teacher faces difficulty, others can share ideas and experiences that help find solutions. It gives us confidence and reminds us that we are not alone,” she added

The conversationsgo beyond the classroom. Teachers discuss barriers keeping girls in school, challenges facing women entering and remaining in the teaching profession, and ways to create safer and more supportive learning environments. 

Together, they identify key stakeholders—from education authorities and community leaders to school management committees and local decision-makers—and are increasingly using their collective voice to advocate for change in their schools and communities.

By speaking collectively, they are raising awareness about issues affecting female teachers, promoting more supportive school environments, and encouraging greater recognition of women's contributions to education. The networks also help members build confidence to engage with local leaders and contribute meaningfully to discussions on education.

Currently, 45 female teachers are directly participating in the initiative across the three counties. While the number is relatively small, the influence of the networks reaches far beyond their membership. Participants are becoming role models in their schools and communities, demonstrating the value of women's leadership and encouraging other women and girls to see teaching as a meaningful and respected profession.The original ambition was to connect the county networks through a wider state-level platform. Limited funding has so far made this difficult, but teachers remain committed to buildingon what they have started.

The original vision of the project included creating stronger connections between county-level groups and a broader state-level network. Such a platform would have enabled female teachers from across Lakes State to meet, exchange experiences, and advocate collectively on issues affecting education. However, budget constrains limited opportunities to convene state-level meetings, leaving the networks to operate primarily at county level.

Despite this challenge, members remain committed to expanding their reach and impact. Their ambition is to open the networks to female teachers from schools beyond those supported by the RTIA project, ensuring that all women educators in their counties can benefit from professional support, mentorship, and collective advocacy.

Their experience shows that strengthening education is not only about classrooms, books and infrastructure. It is also about investing in the people who make education possible – and giving them the confidence, connections and space to shape the system they work in. 

For many participants, the networks have become an important source of encouragement and professional support. Through regular meetings and continuous communication, members discuss challenges encountered in schools, share experiences from their classrooms, and identify practical solutions that can improve teaching and learning outcomes. 

South Sudan cannot afford to lose talented women from the teaching profession. Yet too many female teachers continue to work without adequate professional support, representation, or opportunities to influence decisions that affect their work and their learners. Initiatives like the Female Teachers Networks show what is possible when women educators are given space to connect, lead, and advocate for change.

For South Sudan, supporting female teachers is an investment not only in women, but in the girls they teach and the communities they serve.

The next step is clear: if South Sudan is serious about transforming education, it must ensure that women educators are not only present in classrooms but are also empowered to shape the future of the education system itself as stronger and balanced voices for teachers creates stronger future for education.