Fifteen-year-old Hassina, an Eritrean refugee in eastern Sudan, recently earned a UNHCR scholarship to attend high school after finishing top among students from 17 primary classes. UNHCR/ K. Ringuette KASSALA, SUDAN October 27 (UNHCR) – Born into a refugee camp in eastern Sudan to parents who lost everything when they fled their home in Eritrea, Hassina could have given up hope. Instead, she resolved to fulfil her potential, a potential which came closer to being realized recently when she graduated top out of 17 graduating primary school classes, earning herself a UNHCR scholarship to attend the region's best high school. In eastern Sudan, more than 10,000 refugee children living in 12 camps are attending UNHCR-funded primary schools. The schools teach grades 1 through 8 and are run by Sudan's Commissioner for Refugees. Establishing, maintaining and upgrading schools for such a large number of children would be a major endeavour in any environment. It is a particular challenge in a refugee camp. "UNHCR funding covers the basic needs of primary education facilities from supplies to construction," said Elsa Bokhre, a Community Services Officer with UNHCR. "In the past year we've created temporary classrooms that have allowed an additional 500 children aged six to eight to go to school. We've also provided skills development and training for teachers. Since 2005, we have awarded secondary school scholarships that have so far helped 160 refugee students, the majority of them girls." Women and elders living in the camps regularly cite education as the main priority for their community, and refugee children have proven themselves to be especially motivated to learn and able to over come obstacles. Lessons are often taught in the shade of a tree and homework completed with the aid of a flashlight. Hassan Idris Ahmed is a senior teacher at the primary school Hassina attended in the Shagarab refugee camp. His is one of three schools in the camp serving more than 1,000 students. In the decade since he began at the school Hassan says he has witnessed positive changes in attitudes towards education and in its ability to influence lives. "Education has changed attitudes and especially refugees' understanding of health and hygiene," he said. "Students learn about it at school and they are instructed to take the knowledge back home and share it with their family." Among those areas where improvements are still needed, according to Hassan, is the ratio of one text book for every five students; the ability of very poor families to afford school uniforms and an item that most would consider a necessity in a country where temperatures often reach 50 degrees. "I dream of having a small solar-power system to run a water cooler for the school," he says. Attending the Alhuea Schools for Girls means that Hassina must now live with relatives on the outskirts of Kassala, the main town in eastern Sudan, while her family continues to live at the Shagarab refugee camp an hour and a half away. Their influence though continues to be felt. "Even as a small child school was important to me. My father supported me and encouraged me all this time and he continues to offer support and calls to ask how I am doing," said Hassina who says she hopes to study medicine and provide medical care to her community. By Karen Ringuette in Kassala, Sudan

Vicente Liem de la Paz (1732 - November 7, 1773) was a Tonkinese (present day northern Vietnam) Dominican friar venerated as a saint and martyr by the Roman Catholic Church. He was born at Tra-lu, Tonkin in 1732 to Antonio and Monica Daeon de la Cruz, members of the Tonkinese nobility. When he fell gravely ill several days after his birth, he was baptized by Fr. Chien de Santo Tomas, taking the name of Vicente Liem de la Paz. Since Tra-lu was one of those Tonkinese villages where Dominican friars preached the Catholic faith, Liem grew up to be a Christian. He was later brought by his parents to a missionary center where he learned catechism. In 1738, King Philip V of Spain opened the Colegio de San Juan de Letran and the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines to Chinese and Tonkinese students, since China and Tonkin did not have Christian educational institutions. The Dominican fathers decided to let Liem with four other Tonkinese (Jose de Santo Tomas, Juan de Sto. Domingo, Pedro Martir and Pedro de San Jacinto) study in the Philippines. Vicente took the trivium and the quadrivium in Letran, now the equivalent of elementary and secondary education. He finished a degree of lector of humanities at Letran. He would pursue his collegiate education at the University of Santo Tomas while residing at Letran. In September 1753, after completing his studies at UST, he entered the Dominican order, along with his four Tonkinese companions. A year later, they made their solemn professions. On January 28, 1755, he received the tonsure and minor orders at the Church of Sta. Ana. In 1758, de la Paz was ordained priest under the Dominican order. On September of that year, he passed the examinations to hear confessions. On October 3, he started his journey back to Tonkin. He arrived on January 20, 1759. He spent time at Tonkin on evangelizing the Tonkinese people. However the Tonkinese authorities did not agree with this. On October 2, 1773, he and his two assistants were arrested at Co Dou. He and his assistants were beaten up, after which they traveled on foot to the village of Dou Hoi. There he met another Dominican priest, Jacinto Castaneda. They were presented to the Vice Governor and to the Royal Minister. They were thrown to a cage for a night. The arrival of a High Minister prompted their transfer to Kien Nam, where the King held his court. While under detention, they still managed to preach Catholicism to the people. Later they were taken to Tan Cau, then to the house of Canh Thuy. Finally they were brought to the King where they were tried. Their trial led for the King to be angry and they were thrown to jail. After several days, the King brought down the guilty verdict with the penalty of beheading.[citation needed] The execution occurred on November 7, 1773. After the execution, the Christians who were present at the site carried away the bodies of de la Paz and Castaneda, where they were laid to rest at the town of Tru Linh. Several more Christian missionaries were put to death by the Tonkinese authorities. The process of beatification of de la Paz and Casteneda, as well as other Dominican martyrs, was initiated through Vicar Apostolic Bishop Ignacio Delgado, O.P. They were beatified by Pope Pius X with his feast day on November 6. Pope John Paul II announced the canonization of de la Paz on June 19, 1988, with his feast day on November 24.