Light for the World has expanded its Sports for Peace programme, calling on the government to strengthen partnerships that use sport to promote peace, empower young people and advance the inclusion of persons with disabilities across South Sudan.
The initiative was unveiled during a meeting attended by officials from the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare, as the organisation sought closer collaboration with government institutions to widen access to organized sporting activities.
Speaking at the launch, Light for the World Country Director Sophia Mohamed described sport as a powerful tool for uniting communities, preventing violence and creating opportunities for young people to thrive.
“Our programme is designed to promote peace by bringing young people together through sport instead of allowing divisions and conflict to take root,” Mohamed said.
She urged the government to work closely with development partners to expand sports programmes that foster social cohesion and provide equal opportunities for all, particularly young people and persons with disabilities.
The programme is expected to benefit about 9,000 young people and persons with disabilities across three counties through community-based sporting activities that encourage teamwork, inclusion and peaceful coexistence.
Light for the World has promoted sport as a peacebuilding tool in South Sudan since 2014, when it introduced the Sports for Peace initiative in an internally displaced persons (IDPs) camp in Juba.
The organisation has since expanded its efforts to support inclusive sports, including blind football, giving visually impaired athletes opportunities to compete at national and international levels.
Mohamed said disability inclusion remains central to the programme, noting that many children and adults with disabilities continue to face barriers to education, recreation and participation in community life.
“We want every young person, regardless of disability, to have the opportunity to participate in sport both in school and within their communities. Sport should unite people and create equal opportunities for everyone,” she said.
South Sudan National Paralympic Committee Vice President Hakim Darius Christopher welcomed the initiative, describing it as an important step toward breaking down barriers faced by persons with disabilities.
He said expanding inclusive sporting opportunities would not only combat discrimination but also help unlock the potential of thousands of young South Sudanese who have long been excluded from organized sport.
The Sports for Peace programme will bring together government institutions, civil society organisations and local communities to use sport as a platform for peacebuilding, disability inclusion and youth empowerment across the country.
