The Ministry of Youth and Sports, in collaboration with UNFPA and Impact Health Organization (IHO), has launched the KUBRI Internship Program, an initiative aimed at connecting university graduates with hands-on experience in public institutions.
The launch, held at Glory Regency Hotel’s Jonglei Hall, brought together government officials, development partners, youth leaders, and 45 selected interns. The program’s name, KUBRI, Arabic for “bridge”, symbolizes its mission to link education with employment opportunities.
Speaking at the launch, Deborah Aketch, former Undersecretary of the Ministry, underscored the program’s purpose as a structural response to the widespread challenge of youth lacking experience.
“We finish school, we apply for jobs, and we’re told we lack experience,” she said. “If that’s the challenge, then we must provide it,” she said.
The program received over 200 applications, and through a rigorous process involving assessments and interviews, only 45 graduates, from all ten states and three administrative areas, were selected.
These interns will be placed in key ministries such as Health, Agriculture, Youth and Sports, Peacebuilding, and the National Bureau of Statistics. They will receive transport allowances and mentorship from ministry staff and the KUBRI coordination team. UNFPA provides financial support, while IHO offers technical guidance.
“This is not charity work, it is nation-building,” Aketch emphasized, urging the interns to embrace constructive feedback and learn from every challenge they encounter.
She also pointed to the inspiring example of Anna Maneno, a former volunteer now serving on UNFPA’s Youth Advisory Panel and helping implement KUBRI. “Volunteering is not a step down, it’s often a step up,” she noted.
UNFPA Representative Tikwasibwe Franch called the initiative a “youth-led solution,” urging the interns to serve as role models. “Your communities are watching,” he said. “Show them what determined young South Sudanese can do when given a fair chance.”
Mr. Kato Tonny Simon of IHO reinforced that the program is designed to unlock the creative and civic potential of young people. “You were selected for a reason,” he said. “You are the bridge between citizens and institutions.”
The internship will run for six months, with potential for expansion depending on funding and impact. As the interns begin their journey, they carry the hopes of a country striving to invest in its youth as builders of a better future.
