In a bid to boost economic welfare of the women and girls in Mangateen area in Juba, Active Citizen South Sudan has helped equip women and girls with ideas and skills on income generating activities.
These include small business management skills, marketing and communications skills, record keeping skills, financial management skills and customer care management.
Gai Makiew Gai, the project officer at the organization said they were exploring avenues of eliminating socio-economic problems the young women face in search of livelihoods.
“The idea came as a result of the high growth of domestic violence and GBV cases in the community,” he narrated.
“We felt that one of the fundamental glitches was due to economic detachment where women are exploited and mistreated by their partners on socioeconomic opportunities. So, we want to help them generate income so that they equally contribute to the welfare of the house, “he added.
According to the youth activist, the skills-based training was essential to help the target group to understand how to manage small scale businesses.
“It helps them to understand small businesses enterprise management. It will also help them to generate incomes for their families. It will also help them participate in the household decision making process,” he added.
Income generating activities are an important input to sustainable livelihood improvement for most of the communities but they can only survive when sustained.
Gai said the participating group were going to be relieved with revolving support so that the business skills do not perish.
“This support will help them to uplift and sustain their business. The idea is that this groups will together raise money inform of contribution (SUNDUK) as they continue do their business, the collected amount be given out to other women business outside their cooperative group as evolving loan and be given to individuals for a period of six (6) months.
After six months, it is evaluated and when the person is successful, the loan will be returns with some small interest to the group,” he added.
This interest accumulates and increases their capital (In-Kind) given by Active Citizen as such they will also be connected with other financial institutions as they continue to grow and become big cooperate group.
With the revolving on, the business upgraders would get exposed to more opportunity to apply so that they can be considered for the business ventures.
At least 31 women and girls were engaged in the skills-based training in Managteen. These include vulnerable groups, widows, single mothers, GBV victims and the less privileged.
After the training, the groups will be provided in-kind support for their business start-up on the prioritized items and Active Citizen South Sudan provide for them as capital for their income’s activities.
Gai said the organization was set to enable peaceful societies through skills boosting and contribution to the livelihoods.
“We want to see a peaceful and prosperous society and this cannot be realized unless women who constitute the majority in the country are engaged in the income generating activities,” he concluded.
Tabitha Nyamal, one of the women who participated in the training, said the initiative was necessary to boost their business capacities, hence improving standard of living. “As a woman with a family, the initiative will help me to supplement my household income. It has been difficult to sustain the family with little earnings. But this opportunity will now help to overcome difficult situations by utilizing proper tools that contribute towards productivity,” she said.
Ms. Nyamal wishes the opportunity contributes to their livelihoods.
The activity was sponsored by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).
Globally, most IGAs tend to give women a higher status within the family and the studies show that most of the income generating activities have been rescuing communities.
The benefits of the income generating activities include contributing to reduce poverty, improving the wellbeing of the communities as well as empowerment; and enhancing self-reliance and community development.
