By Charles K Mark
Germany support worth €4.5 million is benefiting at least 64,000 through a Humanitarian-Development-Peace (HDP) Nexus Project in Greater Bahr el Ghazal.
It was designed to benefit mainly internally displaced persons (IDPs), returnees, children, and women by equipping them with technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in Aweil.
The first cohort of nearly 100 young adults in Aweil East and Aweil North counties in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State is said to have completed their training.
The beneficiaries succeeded in various fields, including carpentry, motor vehicle mechanics, hairdressing, tailoring, and computer studies.
Some 92 TVET graduates, including 50 women, are now skilled to enhance business opportunities and services in their communities.
Speaking on behalf of the graduates, Andrew Awech Garang, trained in auto mechanics, expressed dedication to fully utilizing the new skills acquired over the past six months.
“This is a commitment to our families and communities. We are now capable of crafting furniture, processing data, tailoring dresses, and styling hair,” he expressed.
The Nexus Project aims to accelerate stabilization and strengthen the resilience of conflict-affected households, communities, and local systems.
It aligns with the country’s national TVET policy, which aims to foster a generation of skilled, empowered, self-confident, reliant, employable, and creative individuals for South Sudan’s labour market and beyond.
Dr. Björn Niere, Deputy Head of Mission and Head of Cooperation at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany witnessed the remarkable achievement.
He encouraged the graduates to continue learning and to use their new skills to serve their communities.
Niere emphasized that the skills they attained are a starting point for a successful career.
The Deputy Head of Mission said the project will strengthen community resilience against natural and man-made shocks.
He also hoped that through the project, sustainable food security measures would be promoted and the income generation of communities in Aweil East and Aweil North in Greater Bahr el Ghazal would also be enhanced.
The four-year project was officially inaugurated in August 2022 and will run until December 2026.