At least 150 women from Juba County have successfully completed a three-month training on livelihood projects aimed at empowering rural women through entrepreneurship. The initiative was implemented by the Whitaker Peace and Development Initiative (WPDI) South Sudan Country Office, with funding from Skinny Dipped and the Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC).
Funded by a $65,000 USD grant from the Community Development Committee (CDC), the project focused on equipping women with business skills to help them support their families, particularly in the areas of education and health.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony, the Director of Luri Payam, Mr. Hillary Juma, congratulated the graduates and urged them to work diligently as they begin their business ventures. He also appealed to CDC and its partners to continue supporting WPDI’s initiatives, emphasizing the need for adult education programs, as many women in South Sudan lack formal education.
Larissa Beutler, Program Manager at the Swiss Development Cooperation, reaffirmed the Swiss Embassy’s commitment to supporting South Sudanese women in entrepreneurship. She encouraged the women to dream big and prioritize their children’s future by starting and sustaining small-scale businesses.
Gama Hassan, Deputy Country Director for WPDI, encouraged the graduates to work together in groups to strengthen their businesses. He reiterated the organization’s dedication to training more women in need of entrepreneurial skills.
One of the beneficiaries, Mary Alex, expressed her gratitude to the Swiss Development Cooperation and WPDI for the training and startup support. She affirmed that women in Central Equatoria State are committed to working with partners to ensure women are empowered to lead in their communities.
