Field Testimonies - South Sudan

William Penn said, A true friend freely, advises justly, assists readily, adventures boldly, takes all patiently, defends courageously, and continues a friend unchangeable.  This quotes captures the spirit of humanitarian workers. They have freely given themselves to the noble cause of restoring human dignity. The World is a better place because of their work. One of the ways to appreciate their works is sharing their experiences with the rest of the world. In the spirit of World Humanitarian Day, we would love to indulge you with two stories from our colleagues based in South Sudan. These stories reveal their selfless nature, passion for their work and fulfillment gained while in the line of duty. ENJOY.

STORY 1

A man on a mission

A lifetime of commitment to protect women and girls’ rights

By Patrick Vuonze, CARE South Sudan

Since I was young, I defended those who could not stand up for themselves. I would more than once confront others in school to stop bullying young girls. This never made me very popular but I just did not like to see others suffering.

I grew up with this trait and now I am using it to fight for women and girl’s rights in South Sudan. For hundreds of years, women and girls were not encouraged to take on greater roles in South Sudan. Until today, women are not included in critical issues even though they are affecting them more than anyone else in the country.  Peacemaking and conflict resolution in South Sudan are still pretty much a Man’s World.

This is what inspired me to become a gender expert and today, I am working with CARE as a Gender and Protection Manager. My work as a gender specialist is exciting while at the same time challenging in the context of South Sudan, where millions of people are in need and have been suffering more than our years of civil conflict.

More than 5 million people required food assistance in the beginning of this year, an increase of 40 percent from the same time last year. Communities are displaced, livelihood activities disrupted and humanitarian access to vulnerable populations difficult.

My job is to empower women and girls to claim their rights. Empowerment means enabling more women and girls to take greater responsibilities in their communities and voicing their concerns on broader issues of interest.

So few women in aid sector but lots of opportunities

However, it is quite a challenge as there are not so many women role models to inspire young girls to believe in themselves. Most women and girls in South Sudan leave school early and do not attend university. The cultural and structural setup of our society does not value women’s rights and decision are often in favor of boys.

In my day-to-day job, I also tackle issues to do with early child marriages. This is a very contentious issue in South Sudan but as humanitarians, we have to speak out against it. Many girls have seen their future crumble because they marry early to escape poverty. In the worst instances, they are forced to marry wealthy old men so that their parents can get dowry.

A need for cultural change

It is, then, not surprising that we have few women working in the humanitarian sector. Although there is still some work to be done, people are opening up to new ideas. However, it takes courage to convince especially conservative communities to accept that a girl child is as much equal to a boy.

People fear that their old ways are being challenged. This is why we always first talk with the community leaders and speak with them about human rights and gender equality. It takes time to change behaviors but most of the time they understand why change is needed. With their support, we are also able to convince the communities to abandon such cultures.

My wish for women and girls of South Sudan

For all my work and sacrifices, I would like to see a South Sudan where girls are able to pursue their education to achieve their potential and influence decisions at the family and household level. This is the only way women and girls can become empowered. This is also the only way South Sudan can become a place of peace and prosperity.

Education opens so many doors including opportunities for employment. If that happens, the women and girls in South Sudan will have financial independence and an opportunity to live a life free from all forms of gender based violence.

My South Sudan dream

I dream of a South Sudan where all people are treated fairly and equally irrespective of their gender or where they come from. It’s a tall order but I will work hard to see this come to fruition. Thousands of humanitarians are working day and night to make this a reality. When this happens, I will say I have ably contributed to a country that not only truly respect the rights of women and girls but supports them to realise their potential.

STORY 2

Life as a  humanitarian worker in South Sudan

By Richard James-Koma, CARE South Sudan

 When I first joined the humanitarian sector in 2013, I never thought it would become my passion. My journey in this sector  started when I volunteered with a local NGO, as a college student, to help people who were displaced during the 2013 crisis in South Sudan.

I spent nine months in an area called Raja doing nutrition assessments and when I  finished, I had my heart set on being a humanitarian worker. I went back to school to complete  my studies and later got a job with a local NGO as a Programme Officer for Education and Child Protection. This officially marked my entry into the humanitarian world.

In 2017, I joined CARE where I have had the privilege of helping the people of South Sudan through my contribution as a Monitoring and Evaluation Officer.

My work with CARE South Sudan

When I am doing my job,  I delight in the knowledge that the people have the right to determine what they need. This is possible because as an organisation, we believe in listening to the voices of those in need and giving them an opportunity to determine the kind of assistance they require.  It also helps to address real needs and not what someone else assumes they might be.

I also work in peace building and social cohesion projects. I specifically like this work because it brings people together whose relationships have been scarred by years of mutual mistrust because of the conflict in my country. It always brings joy when we bring two conflicting parties together for peace discussions. This, for me is the first step towards a long lasting peace.

Living on the egde because of insecurity

Despite being passionate about my work, sometimes it is so challenging to work in a context such as South Sudan. Now and again, we are hindered to effectively deliver humanitarian assistance. Of note are the many check points and road blocks that, in some cases, deny us access to help people in need.

We also have the highest level of insecurity in the field. As humanitarian workers,  we always strive for impartiality but we are sometimes also targeted in situations of armed conflict. I have friends in the sector who have been caught in crossfire and some have lost their lives. This is the reality I  have to live with every day as an aidworker in South Sudan.  Every day I wake up ready to help my people, but in the back of my mind I also have this niggling fear of being attacked whilst doing my work.

Poor road networks  hindering access

Most of the areas where we work become inaccessible in the rainy season because of poor road networks. This is one of the biggest challenge because the need is greater during this time as we try to reach farmers with farm implements such as tools and seeds. Sometimes we get stuck on the road for days. But this doesn’t discourage us. We keep on pushing. I am always happy when we finally reach the farmers and see the joy on their faces when we give them seeds. In my country, seeds are a symbol of hope.   

The South Sudan I  want

I thrive on hope. It is what keeps me going as an aidworker. The hope that my work will help change things for the better. However, after all has been said and done, I want to see a South Sudan where every child goes to school without fear. I want to see a South Sudan where we don’t hear gun sounds anymore. I want to see a South Sudan where a woman goes to fetch for firewood without fear of being assaulted. I want to see a South Sudan where no one goes to sleep on an empty stomach. I want to see a South Sudan where people sleep in their houses without fear of being killed.  That’s the South Sudan I want as a citizen and a humanitarian worker.