SOUTH SUDAN

As the world’s newest nation—having seceded from the Republic of Sudan in 2011—South Sudan has seen more than its share of violence and disruption in the past few years. Our hope had been to launch a pilot program for boys in 2016 in the city of Yei, but those hopes were dashed as civil war and tribal conflict in the region spiraled out of control. The explosion of hostilities has forced almost two million people to flee for their lives across the border into Uganda and other neighboring countries, according to USAID.gov, leaving Yei virtually deserted by its residents.

In light of this increasingly dangerous security situation, we chose instead to bring some of South Sudan’s most vulnerable girls to the Lukome Center as students. Many have come from northern Uganda’s overcrowded refugee settlements. Resources in these settlements are stretched to the limit, as nearly a million South Sudanese have taxed the ability of local host communities to supply such basic needs as food, water, and healthcare.

Our presence in Imvepi refugee settlement is bringing emotional healing, basic physical needs, and vocational skills to young South Sudanese girls and their children through counseling, hygiene classes, and life-skills training. Within the settlement, we have established ChildVoice Empowerment Groups to provide a safe connecting point between ChildVoice and young girls who are suffering from the effects of war in South Sudan. Our desire is to reach out to this under-served population of adolescent girls with a message of hope and encouragement.