Young friends of Fatou's in Juba.

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​Fatou Alaoui, pronounced Fatu AAAh-la-wee, was born in Juba, the largest urban city in South Sudan.  Fatou is 13 years old, but her education is disrupted because South Sudanese women and girls are less likely to complete primary and secondary education than boys. According to the World Bank, it is estimated that seven girls per ten boys attend primary school. Meanwhile, only five girls per ten boys enroll in secondary education.
Although some girls do manage to make it to secondary school, not many of them are able to finish. In 2013, only 500 girls in the entire country were in their graduating year of
secondary school. While education is technically free for South Sudanese students, there are many expenses that the system does not cover. Families are expected to pay additional fees if they want their children to have an education. This includes charges for textbooks, uniforms, school fees and more. Thus, socio-economic status plays a major factor in access to education.