(RUMBEK CENTRAL COUNTY) – More than 60 young men and women who completed a three month vocational training course in Rumbek have received startup kits to help them launch small businesses and become self reliant.
The training was organised by the Disabled Association for Rehabilitation and Development (DARD) with support from Oxfam and funding from Germany’s BMZ Cooperation. It focused on practical skills in tailoring, hairdressing, catering and hospitality, as well as information technology.
Of the 60 graduates, 51 were women and nine were men, reflecting what organisers described as a strong commitment to empowering women through livelihood skills.
Martha Lela Galu, a graduate in hairdressing, expressed her gratitude for the programme. “The training has empowered us. With these skills and tools, we can support our families, educate our children, and even afford medical care when needed,” she said.
Another graduate, Aluet Makur Magok, who specialised in tailoring, said she planned to start offering services in Rumbek’s market. “I will make clothes for my children, students, and anyone who needs tailoring services,” she explained.
For Abraham Machok, who trained in catering and hospitality, the programme offered a chance to change his life. “This training has given me hope. I believe my life will change,” he said.
According to Oxfam’s area manager in Rumbek, Isaac Majier Major, the goal of the initiative was to strengthen resilience and promote self-reliance among the youth. “We want graduates to generate income, improve their living standards, and lift their families out of poverty,” he said.
Each graduate received a startup kit tailored to their area of training. Tailors received sewing machines, IT graduates were given computers, and catering students received cooking equipment.
Gabriel Maluac Yak, Director General of the Ministry of General Education, praised the initiative and urged more investment in vocational training. “These skills transform lives. We thank the donors and call for more programmes to reduce dependency and boost self-sufficiency,” he said.
The initiative, implemented in partnership with South Sudan’s ministries of education and labour, forms part of a four year project funded by BMZ to support vocational skills development in Lakes State.
