South Sudan: Young people for peace and a better future

Peaceful times have been rare for the people of Africa's youngest nation: Since South Sudan seceded from Sudan in July 2011, civil war and local conflicts over power, money, and resources, especially oil, have raged. Nearly 400,000 people have died in the armed conflict, and over four million have been displaced.

Even though a renewed peace agreement in 2018 offers hope, its implementation is progressing slowly. Outbreaks of violence still occur. The Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), with support from Terre des Hommes and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), is working to improve schools and promote non-violent conflict resolution.

Bazungua is a rural district in southwestern South Sudan. Here, the JRS operates one of four community centers that provide a safe haven for girls and women: The older girls learn to knit or bake and can talk to social workers about issues such as widespread domestic violence. The younger girls learn traditional dances, exchange clothes, play volleyball, or participate in theater.

Schools in South Sudan are poorly equipped and teachers are barely trained. The JRS provides learning materials for the schoolchildren of six primary and six secondary schools, builds classrooms and toilets, and provides professional development for teachers. This training covers not only various school subjects but also pedagogy, social pedagogy, and peace education.

Hossana, Siro, and Naborongba (from left) are 13 years old and attend the third grade at Basuera Primary School – one of the twelve schools that partner with the JRS. Many girls their age are already pregnant and have dropped out of school. These three have different plans. All JRS partner schools have peace clubs: Dedicated children and teenagers organize sporting events or litter clean-ups and talk about tolerance, non-violent conflict resolution, and equal treatment of people with disabilities.

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