Learning Together, Growing Together: IOM Empowers At-Risk Youth in South Sudan

Juba, South Sudan - Decades of civil war have devastated South Sudan’s infrastructure and social systems, displaced over 5 million people, and resulted in generations of children and youth who have never had the opportunity to attend school, making South Sudan a country with the highest illiteracy rates in the world. By equipping youth with literacy, critical thinking, and peacebuilding skills, this program offers hope for a more stable and prosperous future in South Sudan. It demonstrates the power of collaboration between government, NGOs, and communities to build lasting peace in conflict-prone areas.

To address this, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and other United Nations agencies and humanitarian partners are empowering at-risk youth in Jonglei and Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) through informal learning opportunities, that are aimed at addressing the economic and developmental marginalization and exclusion of the targeted areas and livelihood development activities to open up paths for longer-term and broader investments in human capital development and socio-economic integration.

Building on a successful first phase, IOM's second phase of the Peace and Life-skills Development Program targets "hotspots" where young people are often drawn into violence. The program offers basic literacy and numeracy training, while also tackling crucial themes like civic participation, decision-making, and peacebuilding.

"In my village, almost everyone is illiterate," says Pricilla Achoot, a trained facilitator from Jonglei State.

“With this FAL curriculum, I am confident that people in my community will acquire some writing and reading skills that will enable them to participate fully in ongoing efforts in the communities.”

Pricilla and 15 other facilitators will lead Functional Adult Literacy (FAL) classes in border communities.  This is especially critical as renewed insecurity plagues Jonglei and GPAA.

"The training of trainers brought together young men and women motivated to deliver a holistic program on literacy and livelihood development within their communities," says Benjamin Moore, IOM South Sudan Transition and Recovery Coordinator.

“By committing to plant seeds of peace, the facilitators are delivering a strong message on the role of youth in harnessing the potential of peace education in South Sudan.”

Hon. Aleer Goi, a government representative, emphasized the importance of such programs noting: “These kinds of community-based programmes equip populations with techniques to lead positive coping skills as well as ways of managing and avoiding conflicts hence promoting peaceful co-existence among community members.”

This initiative is supported by the Reconciliation, Stabilization and Resilience Trust Fund, Shejeh Selam, Caritas Germany, the Swiss Cooperation Office, and the Peacebuilding Opportunities Fund.

For more information contact Nabie Loyce, IOM South Sudan Media and Communications Assistance (nloyce@iom.int)