Neglect drives South Sudanese students in Egypt to suicide
A viral video footage of a South Sudanese student on government scholarship in Egypt jumping from the 12th floor to the ground has sent tongues wagging among South Sudanese communities at home and abroad.
It was Deng Chol Ayuak (pictured), a 25-year-old and third-year male student, who was pursuing a Bachelor of Science Degree in Refinery and Petrochemical Engineering at Suez University in Cairo, Egypt. He succumbed to the severe injuries he sustained and worsened by compound fractures.
Originally from Abyei, Mr. Ayuak had suffered severe depression which left him mentally unstable before contemplating suicide, a reliable source familiar with the incident told City Review in an exclusive interview.
“The late [Ayuak] was one of my best colleagues at Suez University. He had short mental illness for just one week. He went through depression and stress and he was taken to the hospital for check –up,” Wuon Kuong Riek, a close associate of the deceased said.
But the doctor said Ayuak was healthy and recommended his release. On Saturday, April 17, 2021, the 25-year-old left university premises to Cairo town before he jumped off floor number 12 of a tall tower.
Last post
In what appears to be his last Facebook post, Ayuak reflects on how a future-brightening opportunity turned nightmarish, regretting why he succeeded in securing the scholarship offer.
“It makes me consider institutionalism and the solace it can bring to individuals. I actually can’t figure out how [an] obvious opportunity affects me,” the post partly read, as it questions how individuals might respond to difficulties if they were free.
In the post attributed to him, the deceased likened the life of South Sudanese students in Cairo to solitary confinement.
Mr. Kuong, who is a Former Deputy Chair of South Sudanese Student Union in Suez University, echoed similar sentiment saying South Sudanese students on state-sponsored scholarships at public higher institutions of learning in Egypt have become victims of government’s negligence.
“We South Sudanese students here in Egypt are going through lots of difficulties due to lack of financial support from the parents back home and most of our blames go on our government,” Kuong told City Review.
“The students that were brought to study here in Egypt under [government] scholarships are in horrible situations due to lack of support. The government has not given them [$150] monthly stipends for accommodation since their arrival,” Kuong added.
Six South Sudanese students have committed suicide in Egypt as result of depression emanating from financial difficulties. Kuong said some suicide cases remain unknown to deceased’s families and relatives due to inability to communicate.
“Now the rate of suicide-related deaths is increasing on daily basis but some of those who commit suicide do not get to talk to their close relatives and friends to find out what is the matter,” Kuong said.
Speaking to City Review from Cairo Wednesday, Education Attaché Mike Mathiang said the plights of students were reported to the Ministry of Higher Education in Juba but he could not disclose whether any feedback was given.
“I’m not in a position right now to respond to this particular case. I think you should contact the Ministry of Higher Education, they can give you more details, because we have reported to them what happened, actually,” Mathiang said.
When contacted for comments, the Minister of Higher Education Gabriel Changson could not respond as his phone rung unanswered. Questions sent to him on WhatsApp were not responded to.
South Sudanese students in Egypt only form the many groups of students sent by the government abroad. In Zimbabwe, the government of President Emmerson Mnangagwa is demanding $2.5 million owed in academic arrears by the South Sudanese government.
Over 100 students who completed their studies from the Southern African country came back without certificates because the institutions can only release such documents when the outstanding balance is cleared.