Latest news with #Juba
Zawya
4 days ago
- General
- Zawya
Children call for prioritization of education in South Sudan on the Day of the African Child
Schoolchildren are calling on the government to prioritize education to secure their future as they met to commemorate the Day of the African Child in Juba, South Sudan. At an all-day jamboree hosted by Radio Miraya, operated by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, 20 schoolchildren from two schools took over programs and hammered home the message that quality education is paramount to the future of the country's young population. 'If South Sudan is to become as developed as Uganda and Kenya, then our government needs to invest in training for our teachers and provide resources for our schools,' says 12-year Torosa Addisan from the Bishop Mazzoldi Memorial Basic School. 'That way, we can all learn the best education methods and improve our examination scores,' he says to nods from the other three children who, together with him, hosted the Miraya Breakfast Show. Over in another studio, 11-year-old Naima Alex from the Juba Parents School is one half of a duo reading out the news in English to listeners. Although still an adolescent, Naima thinks for a while before saying that she is very concerned about the future and has her heart set on becoming a doctor when she grows up. But for now, English is her favorite subject at school. 'I like English because it allows me to read more and to learn new things and to understand about the world. I want to become a doctor so that I can save lives in South Sudan and take care of people when they become sick,' says Naima. The Day of the African Child honors South African school children who lost their lives in 1976 while leading a revolt against the Apartheid government to seek a better education. Every year, UNMISS commemorates this day by giving school children a platform on Radio Miraya to speak about their challenges and to suggest solutions in their own words. Children in South Sudan face overwhelming challenges as the country grapples with some of the lowest indicators on the continent for children's health, nutrition, and education. A report from the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) indicates that over 70% of South Sudanese children are out of school due to a combination of factors, including conflict, displacement, and natural hazards such as seasonal flooding. This is compounded by the lack of educational facilities and poorly trained teachers. Fourteen-year-old Intisar Faisal from Juba Parents School is one of the most fluent Arabic speakers in her class. Today she reads out the news in Arabic alongside Radio Miraya's anchor, Abraham Malek, who commends her calmness after they complete the broadcast. Asked about the significance of the day and why it matters to her, she is quiet at first. Naturally shy, she thinks for a while and then says: 'African children need to be provided with more education opportunities, and I want to tell all the girls that we must complete school if we want to have a bright future.' Today's rendition of The Beat programme was led by 13-year-old Irvei Deng and four other children who take listeners through an hour of upbeat music, a snapshot of the day's newspaper headlines, a reading of the weather, and even calls from listeners. 'I loved the experience,' says Irvei, her eyes twinkling with joy. 'At first, I was a little nervous, but it felt so nice to be connected and to get those live calls from people.' Her co-hosts could not match her enthusiasm, but they all looked equally pleased to have been a part of the show to commemorate the Day of the African Child. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
Zawya
13-06-2025
- Zawya
Sexual violence survivors and United Nations partners promote economic empowerment at workshop
Abuk Buol is a survivor in every sense of the word. The 39-year-old endured horrific sexual violence, brutality and was forced from her home in Bor during the civil war that ravaged South Sudan. 'I struggled to cope with what happened,' she says. 'Every time I saw a man, I felt scared, and I experienced long-lasting psychological distress.' Today, she personifies strength and resilience. Reunited with her family back home, the mother of six, is working to secure justice for the horrors that she and so many others endured and to rebuild her life. 'In 2018, I received training from the United Nations in tailoring and local soap-making. This empowered me to make soap and sell it to restaurants. Eventually, I was able to support my family.' Abuk was among 60 participants at workshop in Juba focused on building on an existing project that seeks to ensure the socio-economic empowerment of survivors of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV). The project delivers survivor-centered services in Jonglei, Unity, Western Equatoria and Juba, including medical care, psychosocial support, legal aid, and livelihood assistance, through referrals to specialised Family Protection or One Stop Centers. Supported by UNFPA, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, and the International Trade Centre, it also supports survivors in speaking out and supporting others. 'The project has really helped survivors because, before we trained them how to be open, they could not really express their story in front of people, but now they are capable to talk about what happened to them and to advise others who have experienced sexual violence,' says Anna Reagan Tut from Rural Development Action Aid. The objective of the workshop was to learn about the challenges in accessing services and reintegrating into society, share best practices, and strengthen coordination and partnerships. Most of all, it was to amplify the voices of the survivors. 'Their courage in seeking healing and justice is nothing short of inspiring,' says Sheila Keetharuth, Senior Women's Protection Advisor at the United Nations Mission in South Sudan. 'Each survivor's story is a testament of their unyielding spirit and the importance of standing together against sexual violence in conflict.' The workshop also provided an opportunity for partners to discuss the steps taken to prevent and respond to persistent sexual violence as well as to explore new measures. 'As we know, conflict-related sexual violence is pervasive and is underreported in South Sudan,' says Esther Ikere Eluzai, Undersecretary Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare. 'A lot of effort has been made to address this problem within communities and society more generally. But challenges remain, and I this project has been at the center of this response.' The workshop aims to improve future projects and secure new commitments from national and international stakeholders to sustain support for CRSV survivors, as well as to encourage policy reform in South Sudan. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
Zawya
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
Revision of the Implementation Plan for the International Peace Cooperation Assignments in South Sudan
At cabinet meeting on June 13, 2025, the Government of Japan decided to revise the Implementation Plan for the International Peace Cooperation Assignments in South Sudan to extend its period, in light of the significance of continuing contribution toward the international peace and security. Japan has dispatched JGSDF personnel as staff officers to the headquarters of the United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS) since November 2011 and 4 staff officers are currently in charge of planning and coordination in areas of logistics, information, engineering, and air operations at UNMISS HQs in Juba. Regarding Deputy Chief of Staff (jurisdiction over Personnel, Training, Evaluation) and his Personal Assistant who had been additionally dispatched since May 2024, they recently returned home after completion of their one-year mission tour, based on the United Nations Secretariat's policy to rotate the dispatching country every year through selection. Also, regarding Information Officer who is originally tasked to data collection and database maintenance, we have decided to add information analysis as his duty responsibility based on the request from UNMISS. On May 8, 2025, the United Nations Security Council adopted resolution 2779 (2025), which extended the mandate of UNMISS until April 30, 2026, following the adoption of resolution 2778(2025) on April 30 this year which had extended its mandate till May 9. UNMISS is the only UN peacekeeping operation to which Japan currently deploys its personnel. And the dispatch of staff officers to UNMISS is intended to support the progress of the peace process in South Sudan together with the international community. From the perspective of maintaining and strengthening close engagement with the United Nations, cooperation with African countries in the vicinity of South Sudan and ensuring opportunities for human resource development, the dispatch is meaningful. The main point of revision is as follows. Period of the Implementation Plan ・Current: till 30 June 2025 ・After Revision: till 30 June 2026 Change in number of dispatching officers and modifications to their duties Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.
Zawya
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
Eritrea: Meeting Aimed at Strengthening Organizational Capacity
A meeting aimed at strengthening the organizational capacity and unity of nationals residing in the Republic of South Sudan was conducted on 6 June in Juba. The meeting was attended by heads of the Eritrean community, the National Union of Eritrean Women, YPFDJ, and owners of water tankers. Addressing the meeting, Mr. Yohannes Teklemicael, Eritrea's Ambassador to South Sudan, emphasized the significance of maintaining strong and healthy relations among national organizations for the effective implementation of outlined programs. In related news, Ambassador Yohannes Teklemicael conducted a seminar for Eritrean nationals in Wau and its environs on 10 June. The objective of the seminar was to enhance nationals' understanding of the current situation, national identity, and the importance of building a sovereign nation. The participants called for similar seminars to be organized regularly and expressed readiness to play their due role in national affairs. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.
BBC News
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
South Sudan - the African country producing fashion's favourite models
Wearing an understated but chic outfit, flowing braids and a dewy, make-up free face, Arop Akol looks like your typical off-duty sinks into the sofa at the offices of her UK agency, First Model Management, and details the burgeoning career that has seen her walk runways for luxury brands in London and Paris."I had been watching modelling online since I was a child at the age of 11," Akol, now in her early twenties, tells the the last three years, she has been streamed across the world while modelling, even sharing a runway with Naomi Campbell at an Off-White for work can get lonely, but Akol is constantly bumping into models from her birth country - the lush, but troubled South Sudan."South Sudanese people have become very well known for their beauty," says Akol, who has high cheekbones, rich, dark skin and stands 5ft 10in through a fashion magazine or scan footage of a runway show and you will see Akol's point - models born and raised in South Sudan, or those from the country's sizable diaspora, are range from up-and-comers, like Akol, to supermodels like Anok Yai, Adut Akech and Alek Wek. After being scouted in a London car park in 1995, Wek was one of the very first South Sudanese models to find global success . She has since appeared on numerous Vogue covers and modelled for the likes of Dior and Louis Vuitton. And the popularity of South Sudanese models shows no signs of waning - leading industry platform compiles an annual list of modelling's top 50 "future stars" and in its latest selection, one in five models have South Sudanese heritage. Elsewhere, Vogue featured four South Sudanese models in its article about the "11 young models set to storm the catwalks in 2025"."The expectation of what a model should be - most of the South Sudanese models have it," says Dawson Deng, who runs South Sudan Fashion Week in the country's capital, Juba, with fellow ex-model Trisha Nyachak."They have the perfect, dark skin. They have the melanin. They have the height."Lucia Janosova, a casting agent at First Model Management, tells the BBC: "Of course they are beautiful... beautiful skin, the height." However, she says she is unsure exactly why fashion brands seek out South Sudanese models over other nationalities."I'm not able to tell you because there are lots of girls who are also beautiful and they are from Mozambique, or Nigeria, or different countries, right?" Ms Janosova adds. Akur Goi, a South Sudanese model who has worked with designers like Givenchy and Armani, has a theory. She believes South Sudanese models are in demand not just for their physical beauty, but for their "resilience" was born in Juba but as a child she moved to neighbouring Uganda, like Akol and hundreds of thousands of other South fled in the years after 2011, when South Sudan became independent from were high hopes for the world's newest nation, but just two years later a civil war erupted, during which 400,000 people were killed and 2.5 million fled their homes for places like the civil war ended after five years, further waves of violence, natural disasters and poverty mean people continue to fighting between government and opposition forces has escalated - sparking fears the country will return to civil leaving a war-weary South Sudan for Uganda, Goi's "biggest dream" was to become a model. Fantasy became reality just last year, when she was scouted by agents via Facebook. For her very first job, she walked for Italian fashion giant Roberto Cavalli."I was super excited and ready for my first season... I was really nervous and scared but I said to myself: 'I can make it' - because it was a dream," Goi says, speaking to the BBC from Milan, having flown out for a job at the last some South Sudanese models have had more tumultuous journeys. An investigation by British newspaper the Times found that two refugees living in a camp in Kenya were flown to Europe only to be told they were too malnourished to appear on the runway. After completing modelling jobs, several others were informed that they owed their agencies thousands of euros - as some contracts specify that visas and flights are to be repaid, usually once the models start earning says she encountered a similar issue. When she was scouted in 2019, the agency in question asked her to fork out for numerous fees - fees which she now knows agencies do not normally request."I was asked for money for registration, money for this, for that. I couldn't manage all that. I'm struggling, my family is struggling, so I can't manage all that," she says. Three years later, while living in Uganda, she was eventually scouted by a more reputable who helps fledgling South Sudanese models produce portfolios, tells the BBC that some have complained about being paid for jobs in clothes, rather than models also come up against another challenge - their family's perception of their career choice."They didn't want it and they don't want it now," Akol, who now lives in London, says of her own relatives."But we [models] managed to come up and say: 'We are [a] young country. We need to go out there and meet people. We need to do things that everyone else is doing.'"Deng says those living in urban areas have become more open-minded, but some South Sudanese liken modelling to question the whole concept - wondering why their daughters would be "walking in front of people", he recalls a young woman he was assisting who was about to fly out for her first international job. Unhappy that she would be modelling, the woman's family followed her to the airport and prevented her from getting on the plane. But, Deng says, the woman's relatives eventually came around and she has since modelled for a top lingerie brand."This girl is actually the breadwinner of the family. She's taking all her siblings to school and nobody talks about it as a bad thing any more," he is "proud" to see this model - and others from South Sudan - on the global stage and although the industry cycles through trends, Deng does not believe South Sudanese models will go out of agrees, saying there is an "increasing demand for diversity" in too believes South Sudan is here to stay, stating: "Alek Wek has been doing it before I was born and she is still doing it now."South Sudanese models are going to go a long way." You may also be interested in: How luxury African fashion has wowed Europe's catwalksNo wigs please - the new rules shaking up beauty pageantsInside the beauty pageant in one of the world's worst places to be a womanThe 'peacock of Savile Row' on dressing stars for the Met GalaWATCH: Model Alek Wek on her unique career Go to for more news from the African us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica
