Case/context:
The 2023 violent conflicts in South Sudan have exposed youth who constitute over 70% of the country’s population to physical violence as combatants and as victims of war and looting. Direct consequences of their poverty, wide spread lack of opportunities for productive engagements and vulnerabilities have included substance abuse, cattle raiding, theft and manipulation by politicians and war lords. The quest for bride price, cultural pride, desire for revenge and poverty are the major reasons behind the scale of cattle raiding and revenge killing in Terekeka and particularly Tali payam. Some raids are to take revenge for events spread out over many years. Salaam Junub with funding from UNDP and her partner Sweden has supported a group of youth in Terekeka County with start-up kits to embark on income generating activities to contribute to reduction of resource-based conflicts and criminality in the rural areas. Daniel Mayan Makur, was among the recipients of the support.
Before the intervention:
Daniel Mayan Makur was a soldier and when the 2023 conflicts erupted, he decided to abandon the army because his intuition could not allow him to kill a fellow South Sudanese in a meaningless war. It however became difficult to get absorbed into civilian lifestyle given the deteriorating economic situation in the country and the numerous sectional conflicts in the area. Raising money to afford the cost of education for his children, paying for medical bills and other basic services became hard; thereby creating temptations of indulging in unproductive activities to make ends meet.
Nature of intervention:
Salaam Junub with funding from UNDP and her partner Sweden provided support to a group of young men and women in Tali payam of Terekeka County to embark on viable businesses of their choices. Individuals within the group received different types of start-up kits to execute their business plans individually and save as a group. The group members also come together to share experiences, progress, challenges and discuss way forward. Daniel Mayan after a thorough market survey, opted for a business of selling goats which was approved by the group members. Daniel received five goats which he started selling in Tali market in November 2022.
After the intervention:
Daniel’s business was gradually thriving. From five goats he was able to buy more five making the total of his goats ten in the first month. Daniel goes to rural areas to buy goats at cheaper price and bring them to the central market where he’s able to fetch more money enabling him to move from selling goats to selling cows. I am very happy because in three months I managed to buy three cows and that means by the end of the year, I’d be able to buy 12 cows which will multiply in the next few years as I continue with my business. By just selling one cow at 200,000 SSP I would be able to send my children to schools, save some money for medication and buy seeds and agricultural tools to diversify my sources of livelihood. I have stopped cutting trees for charcoal and I have also stopped thinking of cattle raiding or joining any armed group because of the hope I found through the support I received from Salaam Junub. I want to sincerely thank Salaam Junub, UNDP and Sweden for contributing to this positive transformation which is not only helping and my family but inspiring many other people around me.