By Kidega Livingstone
A new European Union-funded project is set to benefit more than 230,000 people in the states of Jonglei, Upper Nile, and Unity in South Sudan.
The 6.3-million-euro initiative, which started in January 2024, aims to build resilient communities and empower the country towards peace and prosperity.
The project, implemented by leading organizations such as Save the Children, War Child Holland, and Tearfund, focuses on key areas including the rule of law, human rights, female and youth leadership, entrepreneurship, and economic development.
Speaking during the launch of the project yesterday, Sophie Chambers, Acting Country Director at Save the Children said the integrated project represents a pivotal step towards empowering grassroots civil society and local authorities in in the country.
“We are not only strengthening governance and resilience at the community level but also cultivating community-owned solutions that can endure long after external support has concluded,” Chambers said.
“This approach has the transformative potential to mitigate conflict, enhance local resilience to climate-related shocks, and lay the foundation for a more prosperous and self-reliant future for the people of South Sudan,” she added.
The project comes at a critical time for South Sudan, which faces multiple challenges, including communal conflict, economic turmoil, climate-related disasters, and the impact of conflict in neighboring countries.
These factors have left approximately 9 million people in South Sudan in dire need of humanitarian assistance.
Lothar Jaschke, EU Deputy Head of Delegation said the EU is a long-standing friend to the people of South Sudan.
“We will do our best, together with implementing partners, local communities, and government agencies, to deliver concrete and positive changes on the ground. We want this action to be a real game changer for the 230,000 beneficiaries.”
This project aligns with the Team Europe Initiative’s (TEI) “Good governance, peace, and rule of law for a just society,” which aims to contribute to South Sudan’s successful transition towards a peaceful, stable, and democratic country.