Celebration Is The Order of the Day

It’s been a few years since I first posted about Malik on this blog, but I’m back with more wonderful news about my brother.

My cousin, Kyle, and Malik on Christmas day

So… since the Comprehensive Peace Agreement was signed back in 2005, many of the high school students in South Sudan have been studying in English using the Ugandan curriculum. Malik first studied in Arabic, and owing to the fact that he grew up in a war zone, his early years of school were sporadic at best. But, he has always had a keen mind, and given the opportunity he excels. He’s amazing.

He was behind his classmates when he moved to YCV in 2007, but by the end of his first school year in Yei, he had caught up and surpassed almost all of his classmates, coming in second place after the last term exams! In the subsequent years, he consistently ranked at the top of his grade level.

But that’s all old news, and coming into his final year of secondary school in Yei (his last year of ‘O’ Levels), Malik was worried about the big comprehensive exam at the end of the year. It’s a standardized test from Uganda, and if he didn’t perform well on that exam, it would be nearly impossible for him to continue his studies in Uganda. (He has to move to Uganda to complete his ‘A’ levels in a school there before he’s able to enter university)

Me and Malik on my last day in South Sudan

Well, my friends, Malik studied hard for months and took that massive exam in October. When I was with him in December, he told me several times, “I hope I did well to bring good results for my school.” He wanted to well represent his school in Yei. 🙂 I assured him that no matter his results, he’d worked hard and had nothing to be ashamed of. The results were slated to be released in February.

Ok. Now, the celebratory news… 🙂

Not only did Malik represent St. Joseph’s Lutaya Secondary School well, he well represented all of South Sudan! Malik ranked first in his school, and as one of the top ten students IN THE ENTIRE NATION!

Malik posing in front of the President's office in South Sudan

So, I’ve been rejoicing in Bangkok the past few days. So pleased! So happy for Malik! So excited for him as he begins the new adventure of studies in Uganda! 🙂