The German Ambassador to South Sudan, Hon. Jan Hendrik van Thiel, visited the vocational training centre supported by UNDP and Germany in one of the Protection of Civilians Sites (PoC) in Juba. UNDP’s local partner “Foundation for Democracy and Functional Governance” (FODAG) launched this vocational training project in Juba on Friday 9th March 2018.
Less than two months after its commencement, significant progress is visible. While the tailoring & design, and the computer & ICT sections attract the most trainees, the baking section has a new oven and the carpentry and masonry sections have new spaces for trainees.
The empowerment and livelihood initiative at the Juba PoC 3 site forms part of a broader spectrum of German support to UNDP’s Access to Justice and Rule of Law project. German funding supports the strengthening of SGBV referral pathways for vulnerable people, especially those affected by recent conflict both inside and outside PoC sites, through the establishment and operationalization special protection desks, provision of legal aid, strengthening of community watch groups and establishment of victim support groups.
These engagements are undertaken inside PoC sites in coordination with UNMISS and CSOs, and outside of the PoC sites to vulnerable people, with the aim to provide regular service to the conflict-affected population, with special focus on gender issues. Specifically, empowerment and livelihood component includes the establishment of two pilot skill development centres in PoC sites in Juba and Bor.
The empowerment and livelihood initiative provides training for a total of 280 persons. The training covers the following vocations:
- Baking - 30 trainees (including 4 male)
- Carpentry - 30 trainees (all male)
- Masonry 30 trainees (all male)
- Computer and ICT skills 60 trainees (including 11 male)
- Tailoring and design 130 trainees (including 27 male)
The project aims to provide livelihood skills for IDPs to ensure their self-sufficiency and prepare them for productive lives upon return and reintegration into their communities. By providing productive alternatives the participants, the project also seeks to reduce crime.
This in turn is expected to feed into the peace architecture of South Sudan in that by extending skills to community members as tools to replace the tendency for violence with stabilization and recovery as an integrated, holistic but targeted process of enabling societies to build mutual accountability and capacity to address and mitigate existing or emerging drivers of violent conflict while creating the conditions for sustainable peace.
For more pictures of the livelihood training centre:
- German ambassador’s visit to PoC3: https://www.flickr.com/photos/undpsouthsudan/albums/72157666182761907
- Inauguration of the training centre: https://www.flickr.com/photos/undpsouthsudan/albums/72157664597359087