Empower 103 Households for their Livelihoods

The output and hence incomes of youths and women in Yambio, South Sudan in general is lamentably low, partly due to limited skills, low human capital, and low productivity and illiteracy. The majority of the populace relies on subsistent agriculture characterised by low production and productivity owing to the use of traditional agriculture techniques, low production capacity, high postharvest losses and limited value addition (processing) and/or preservation. Moreover, low entrepreneurship and business management skills among men and women hinder their engagement and success in businesses and viable livelihood activities; amidst a very low (13%) formal public sector employment statistics in South Sudan[1]. This problem is compounded by the lack of available accessible agriculture training centres and business management institutions for men and women in Yambio, which limits all skill acquisition opportunities, even if the interest was existing.

These challenges appear worse for women who are not only disproportionately affected by the ravages of war (including the 2021 years conflict in South Sudan), but continue to grapple with untold socio-economic and political deprivation, vulnerabilities including a low literacy rate of 28.86% (compared to 34.52% for men), denial of ownership of property and productive assets (e.g. land) as dictated by the traditional patriarchal structures and systems, and limited voice in decision making at household and community levels. The economic injustice facing women in South Sudan conforms to the study findings that women perform 66% of the world’s work, and produce 50% of the food, yet earn only 10% of the income, and own 1% of the property.

This vicious cycle of misery and poverty for men and women, which has been exacerbated by the effects of war, illiteracy, poor cultural mind-set, continue in Yambio (South Sudan) unless deliberate pro-youth and pro-women socioeconomic empowerment programs are undertaken to break through the poverty cycle; this is what Community Skills Development is focused on and please join us in collaboration to save lives.

Women have the desire to seek remedies to their poverty. Community Skills Development has kept the team of single mothers in groups; a) Women Farmers b) Tailoring group.

Each group is always engaged in initiatives for orientation towards self-empowerment.

Every single mother has her own special story to tell

Community Skills Development majorly supports impoverished women in Western Equatoria State. Women are at the fore front of our focused endeavors; to empower them, offer them chances to equal opportunities and representation. Community Skill Development has trained 58 women in tailoring and entrepreneurship skills by the end of December 2024. When needy women hear about community skills development, they come to express their interest to join the groups and we admit the neediest and the poorest of the poor.

When the women get into their groups, they begin to build and enjoy strong bond of social cohesion and mutual support. Joyce, one of the women Tailors, says that she has acquired good tailoring skills that she hopes will help her to earn money soon. She is happy that she was admitted into the program and it is going to help her build her life and that of her children.

The step taken to empower 103 households of single mothers for their livelihoods is only possible because of the support of distinct persons who provided the funds. We have so far raised and used USD 15,430.30 out of the targeted plan for USD 76,650 the cost of empowering 103 households. We are reaching out to well-wishers and persons of good-will to come to our aid.

We remain grateful and thanking you very much.

[1]A Rapid Gender analysis on COVID-19, South Sudan, 2020 available on

https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/rapid_gender_analysis_on_covid-19-south_sudan.pdf

Links:

• Community Skills Development home page