JUBA — The South Sudan’s Ministry of Youth and Sports, in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and Impact Health Organization (IHO), on Wednesday launched a six-month youth volunteer empowerment program targeting graduates aged 18-35.
The program has commenced with the first batch of 45 youths placed in various public institutions, aiming to build their skills, enhance employability, and promote youth engagement in national development.
“The government, led by the President, has instructed this ministry to initiate programs for youth empowerment. We want to prioritize progress, and within that, there is a bit of mentorship. What we might call second liberation is to achieve economic prosperity,” said Dr. Joseph Geng Akech, Minister of Youth and Sport, on Wednesday during the launch of the youth volunteer program in Juba.
He stated that young people are the backbone of this country in terms of talent, resilience, and hard work, stressing the need to empower them.
“It requires education, it requires starting a business, and it requires hard work so that you can achieve prosperity and development,” he added.
For her part, Sarah Masale, the Deputy Country Representative for UNFPA, noted that South Sudan is a very young nation in every sense, adding that the 72 percent population estimate for young people includes children and those below the age of 30.
“Today we respond with action: Kubri, the Youth Volunteer Empowerment Programme for South Sudan. This is our bridge from learning to earning, from study to service. South Sudan is a very young nation in every sense,” Masale said.
“Many of our graduates leave campus to find only closed doors: no job offers, no professional networks, no practical pathways to serve their country. The result often is frustration, stalled careers, and lost national potential,” she continued.
Meanwhile, Godson Rembu Ladu, the chairperson of the board of Impact Health Organization (IHO), stated that the youth volunteer program is targeting young graduates who have experienced unemployment issues across the country.
“This program is timely and essential, targeting our young graduates. We are answering a critical national call to unlock the potential of our youth in South Sudan, bridging the gap between those who are working and those who are not,” Ladu said.
The six-month youth volunteer empowerment program, spearheaded by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, supported by UNFPA, and implemented by Impact Health Organization (IHO), will train the first batch of 45 graduates, aged between 18 and 35 years, in different public institutions.
