(BOR/AKOBO) – In Jonglei State, where young people have long struggled with limited employment prospects and insecurity, a vocational training programme has given hundreds of youth a renewed sense of hope and direction. The three month courses, implemented in Akobo and Bor, are already changing lives, particularly for young women.
In Akobo, over 100 participants, most of them women, completed training in various income-generating activities, including vegetable farming, tailoring, hairdressing, marketing, and financial management. The initiative supported by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and run by the national NGO Community Initiative for Development, comes at a time when resources are becoming more scarce due to the return of people previously displaced by conflict.
“Everyone should plant vegetables,” said Rodah Nyathuok Lual, one of the trainees. “If you do, you stay healthy and earn money without exposing yourself to dangers, like we face when collecting firewood.”
The training also promotes stability in communities affected by conflict. Graduate Domach Makuach Mark said that learning new skills allows youth to focus on development instead of violence. “When everyone is busy, there is no time or room for conflict,” he explained.
Each graduate received a starter kit to begin their business and was linked to financial institutions to explore loans and investment opportunities.
| Skill Trained | Location | No. of Beneficiaries | Starter Kit Provided | Financial Linkage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farming & Hairdressing | Akobo | 100+ (mostly women) | Yes | Yes |
| Construction & Poultry | Bor | 77 | Yes | Yes |
In Bor, 77 young men and women were trained by South Korean peacekeepers attached to UNMISS. Their practical lessons included electrical wiring, plumbing, agriculture and poultry farming. Akuoch Mary Atem, one of the beneficiaries, said she plans to use her training to start a small poultry business.
“I want people to buy eggs and chickens from me,” she said, highlighting how the skills will help her support her family.
Colonel Kwon Byung Guk, Commander of the South Korean peacekeeping unit, said the programme is expected to expand in collaboration with the local government. He also announced that the South Korean government will award five full scholarships to the best performing graduates for advanced training in South Korea.
