Why Allan, 65, is back in school

IT is not every day you find a 65-year-old student in high school.
Allan Ekel, from Mulitaka in Enga, has an extraordinary story. Not only is he sharing a Grade Nine classroom this year with students four times younger than him, but he also has been appointed the Mulitaka High School student council president.
Exuding youthful enthusiasm, his decision to return to school after 43 years (he had completed Grade 6 in 1980) stems from his passion to convince young people in his community to get an education, rather than engaging in violence.
A respected community leader who served as a ward councillor for 15 years, Allan has been helping the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reach people affected by violence in his community. It led him to think about a long-term change in his community.
Maip-Mulitaka is notorious for tribal violence in which many have been killed, injured, or displaced. Farmland and properties too have been destroyed.
The community recently witnessed a big tribal fight which resulted in homes and gardens being destroyed, and hundreds of families displaced.
“The whole community suffers because of the actions of a few.”

“ I have seen many young people enrolling in school after I enrolled. I am excited to be in school and I will be happy to continue if I perform well.”

Ekel also wants to build a resource center to teach life-skills to people in his community and help them earn sustainable livelihoods.
“People affected by violence in my community often do not have the means to rebuild their lives. The ICRC’s support is crucial in this regard.”
The ICRC is supporting affected villages in Mulitaka to rebuild their food and economic security, and have access to health facilities.
“We provided at least 5,000 people in the area with shelter toolkits, seeds, and building tools. We also gave small grants to a group of women to help them rebuild their lives and sustain themselves.”
Similar assistance is also given to communities affected by tribal violence in Hela and Southern Highlands.
The ICRC also helps affected communities in Enga, Southern Highlands, and Hela retain or regain safe access to education through its protection and assistance programmes, in partnership with education agencies and other organizations.
He believes that education can be part of the solution to ending violence in the community.
“People need to have the right mindset and attitude. They can receive help from the government, donors, or humanitarian organisations in their time of need, but it would not bring lasting change if they don’t change the way they think and behave. Therefore, I have been urging young people to go to school and get a different perspective on life.”
Allan decided that the best way to inspire change in young people is to lead by example. And it is already having the desired effect.
“I have seen many young people enrolling in school after I enrolled. I am excited to be in school and I will be happy to continue if I perform well.”
His next step is to become a teacher and further inspire young people to be good citizens. To him, age right now is no barrier – it’s just a number.

• Story and pictures supplies by Samuel Bariasi (ICRC Communication Officer)