Twic community associations in Australia, the United States, Canada and several European cities have surpassed their joint fundraising target to renovate classrooms and equip science corners at three primary schools in Twic County. Organisers announced the milestone Sunday after a final push during live-streamed events that linked diaspora halls with teachers and pupils in Turalei.
The campaign, branded "Bricks for Twic," began six months ago when education officers shared photographs of roofless classrooms and pupils studying under trees. Diaspora treasurers set an initial goal of USD 85,000; as of this week, verified contributions and pledged matching grants exceeded USD 112,000, according to the coordinating committee.
We may live far from Turalei, but our children back home deserve desks, roofs and textbooks. This is not charity — it is investment in our own future.
Funds will be disbursed in tranches tied to construction milestones verified by a joint oversight board of county education officials, diaspora auditors and parent-teacher representatives. The first transfer supports roofing and flooring at Twic Primary in Turalei; subsequent payments will equip Aweng and Panyok schools with desks, chalkboards and basic laboratory kits.
Transparency and long-term partnership
Committee spokesperson James Kuol, speaking from Minnesota, said chapters agreed to publish monthly expenditure reports and live video walk-throughs of construction sites. The model mirrors a successful 2022 project that delivered a borehole near Turalei market, which diaspora donors credit with building trust after years of scepticism about remittance use.
Teachers welcomed the news but cautioned that staffing gaps remain. Head teacher Mary Alek said new rooms will ease overcrowding, yet additional trained teachers are needed to maintain quality instruction. Diaspora leaders responded that a secondary scholarship fund, opening next term, will support graduates who commit to returning to rural schools.
County education director Deng Yai praised the partnership and invited diaspora engineers and educators to volunteer during home visits. With enrolment rising as families return from displacement, officials say community-led funding may prove as vital as government budgets for years to come.
