February 2023
We support community-led programs to build resilience and peace.
 U.S. Ambassador to South Sudan Michael J. Adler with graduates of USAID's Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS Free, Mentored, and Safe (DREAMS) activity. Photo: Emmanuel Kulang, U.S. Embassy Juba
Ambassador Adler Honors Young Women Graduates of USAID's DREAMS Activity
U.S. Ambassador to South Sudan Michael J. Adler presented certificates on January 25 to graduates of a USAID activity that empowers adolescent girls and young women with income-generating skills—and for those selected through a competitive process, a three-month internship at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Juba. This public-private partnership highlights the important role of South Sudan’s private sector in building gender equity and providing life-changing opportunities for young women of diverse backgrounds. USAID's Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS Free, Mentored and Safe (DREAMS) activity provides comprehensive HIV prevention and case management services for orphans and vulnerable children, adolescent girls, and young women in Juba. It has provided training and services to more than 4,000 adolescent girls and young women, including skills training on tailoring, hairdressing, driving a vehicle, and income-generating activities, including making sandals, fruit juice, and soap. Ambassador Adler and Radisson Blu General Manager Dino Urbani presented graduation certificates to eight young women who completed their three-month internship at Radisson Blu in front desk management, catering, housekeeping, and engineering. Four of the graduates will be offered full-time employment at Radisson Blu, significantly changing their life trajectories in positive ways.
 In Budi County, farmers supported by USAID's Resilience through Agriculture in South Sudan Activity display their bumper harvest of peanuts. Photo: Resilience through Agriculture in South Sudan Activity
USAID-Supported Farmers Reap Bumper Harvest, Boosting Food Security
Farmers in five counties supported through USAID’s Resilience through Agriculture in South Sudan activity are reaping a bumper harvest six months after receiving farming tools, improved seed varieties, training on good agricultural practices, and agricultural extension assistance. In Budi County, USAID-supported farmers harvested more than 76 metric tons of farm produce, in Akobo more than 71 tons, in Jur River more than 23 tons, in Wau more than 7.1 tons, and in Kapoeta more than 2.2 tons. The produce includes peanuts, sorghum, maize, sesame, cowpeas, and assorted vegetables. The high crop yield has improved household food security and nutrition and provided farmers with cash to improve their economic well-being.
 U.S. Ambassador to South Sudan Michael J. Adler (center) at Eye Radio studios in Juba for an interview on 20 years of accomplishments of the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Photo: Emmanuel Kulang/U.S. Embassy
Accomplishments of PEPFAR Lauded at Initiative's 20-Year Anniversary
U.S. Ambassador to South Sudan Michael J. Adler joined Ministry of Health Undersecretary Dr. Victoria Achut, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Senior Advisor Dr. Alex Bolo, and Patrick Zema of USAID's Advancing HIV & AIDS Epidemic Control Activity at Eye Radio on January 27 to discuss the 20th anniversary of the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). In South Sudan, PEPFAR has invested $324 million over the past 15 years, which has among other accomplishments enabled nearly 48,000 people to access lifesaving antiretroviral medicines.
 International Medical Corps (IMC) Program Director Fisseha Woldeyes (left) briefs USAID humanitarian staff during a visit to the USAID-funded IMC health facility at internally displaced persons camp 1 in Juba. Photo: USAID
USAID Helps Prepare for Management Handover of Juba Displaced Camps
On January 5, USAID humanitarian staff visited internally displaced persons (IDP) camps 1 and 3 in Juba to monitor USAID’s humanitarian activities and ensure a smooth transition in handing over camp administration to South Sudan's Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity (RTGoNU). At USAID-supported health facilities, International Medical Corps delivers health services to more than 39,000 residents who are displaced by conflict and floods. Some IDPs, mostly women, would like to voluntarily return to their ancestral homes, but they say that requires peace, stability, and financial support. USAID is working toward greater sustainability and RTGoNU accountability to displaced populations.
 A child is vaccinated for polio during a World Polio Day commemoration in Yei. Photo: CORE Group Partners Project
COVID-19 Response Boosts Childhood Vaccinations in Equatoria States
USAID-funded CORE Group Partners Project integrated routine childhood immunization into COVID-19 vaccination efforts in hard-to-reach areas in Central, Eastern, and Western Equatoria States, reaching 70,345 children younger than one year with vaccines that prevent polio, measles, diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, hepatitis B, and Haemophilus Influenzae Type B. This achievement is particularly noteworthy because child vaccinations declined worldwide as COVID-19 disrupted routine immunization services and triggered suspension of polio campaigns as governments imposed strict COVID-19-specific infection prevention and control measures. The World Health Organization reported that worldwide, about 25 million children missed their vaccination doses for vaccine-preventable diseases after COVID-19 emerged. CORE Group Partners Project also intensified COVID-19 vaccination in 74 health facilities and 89 outreach and mobile sites in the 24 counties across Greater Equatoria, fully vaccinating 359,690 individuals over an 11-month period and contributing 17 percent of South Sudan’s COVID-19 vaccination coverage. This effort also contributed to improved cost efficiency—the project administered a dose of COVID-19 vaccine at half the price (less than $5) of the crude cost set by South Sudan's Ministry of Health.
 At Eye Radio in Juba on January 24. From left: USAID Mission Director Kate Crawford, USAID Senior Education Advisor Wendy Wheaton, Education Development Center (EDC) Deputy Chief of Party Ale Peter Michael, EDC Senior Technical Advisor Amy West. Photo: Apuk Deng/USAID
USAID Discusses New Youth Empowerment Activity on Eye Radio
Eye Radio's "The Dawn Show" host Emmanuel Akile on January 24 interviewed representatives of USAID and our partner Education Development Center (EDC) about USAID's new, four-year Youth Empowerment Activity, which will empower 25,000 youth in some of South Sudan's most remote and underdeveloped counties with knowledge and skills that will enable them to lead healthy, engaged, and productive lives. It will also support 65 local youth-serving organizations with grants, technical training, mentorship, and organizational strengthening. "Investing in youth in this country—donors, particularly government, state governments, families, communities—it will define the future of South Sudan, and the future has great potential," said USAID Mission Director for South Sudan Kate Crawford. "There are many obstacles to overcome right now and in order to get there and do right by the youth of this country, we absolutely need security and stopping the violence at the sub-national level," she added.
 Some of the girls who benefit from cash assistance to help keep them in school, through the Girls' Education South Sudan activity. Photo: Girls' Education South Sudan
Girls' School Retention Has Improved with Cash Transfers to Defray Expenses
The Girls' Education South Sudan Activity has completed payment of cash transfers to more than 400,000 girls across South Sudan—85 percent of the total number of girls targeted for assistance through this multi-donor activity led by the United Kingdom's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and supported by USAID, the European Union, and Canada. The remaining 15 percent who have not received their cash transfer are in areas that have been inaccessible due to conflict or flooding. The girls are mentored and encouraged to use the money to buy items that help them stay in school, such as a school uniform, scholastic materials, and hygiene kits so that menstruation does not become a barrier to school attendance. Girls' Education South Sudan also provides grants to schools and encourages parents to send their daughters to school.
 Three graduates of USAID’s Partner Liaison Security Operations’ Women in Security internship program, with Deputy Operations Manager Veronika Polger (second from left). Photo: Victor Lugala/USAID
Three Women Graduate from Women in Security Internship Program
On December 30, 2022, USAID's Partner Liaison Security Operations program graduated three women from its Women in Security internship program following six months of intensive mentoring and training to equip them with the skills needed to fill safety and security roles in the humanitarian and development sectors. This is the third cohort of women interns—11 in total—who have graduated from this program over the past year. Three of the graduates from previous cohorts have been employed in security roles for humanitarian agencies. “Humanitarian workers are dying through armed robberies, targeted attacks, and armed clashes," said Sarah Karaba, one of the graduates. "We hope to provide useful information for decision making to save the life of an aid worker somewhere,” she said. The Partner Liaison Security Operations program began training its fourth cohort of Women in Security interns in January.
 Youth discuss potential revisions to South Sudan's 2016 Nongovernmental Organizations Act. Photo: USAID Shejeh Salam activity
Youth Suggest Amendments to Nongovernmental Organizations (NGO) Act
USAID's Shejeh Salam (Promoting Peace) activity supported a South Sudan Youth Organizations Coalition workshop in Juba December 29-30 to review South Sudan's 2016 Non-Governmental Organizations Act. The workshop gathered views from youth to be submitted to the reconstituted National Constitutional Amendment Committee, which is tasked with revising the NGO Act this year. The workshop came up with recommendations, including that South Sudanese have the right to work anywhere in the country regardless of their ethnicity, registration of national NGOs should be free, and international NGOs should be mandated to build local NGO capacities for the eventual transitioning of responsibilities to South Sudanese nationals. “With shrinking space, civil society depends on fora such as the workshops organized by the USAID-funded Shejeh Salam activity to encourage young people to champion their rights,” said one civil society activist.
 Koch County's Peace Committee hosted traditional dancers as part of an event marking international Human Rights Day. Photo: International Rescue Committee
Peace Committees Organize Human Rights Day Events in Koch, Mayendit
USAID's Communities Managing Conflict activity, which is strengthening relationships and cooperation between communities in Koch and Mayendit Counties, supported the Reconciliation Working Group and the Protection Cluster to mark international Human Rights Day on December 13 in Koch County and December 10 in Mayendit County. Youth and women's groups attended the two events, emphasizing the importance of peaceful coexistence among communities and promoting human rights. USAID-supported Peace Committees played a significant role in mobilizing community members for cultural performances to promote peace.
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