Empower 103 Households for their Livelihoods

March 13, 2023 Thirteenth’s report Project ID: 32851 Project Title: Empower 103 households for their livelihoods The vicious circle of poverty; the Following cycle of low income, low savings, poor capital creation, low productivity, low output, and low income, leading to the decline of supply level; communities of Yambio County of Western Equatoria State, South Sudan continue to depend heavily on agriculture, yet they practice shifting cultivation using rudimentary tools for subsistent purposes. Mechanized agriculture is the way forward to increase production. With the present practice, it is highly doubted if the population will be able to cross the line of absolute poverty to an average living condition. Majority 80% of the population cannot afford 2 meals per day. Not much is being executed to break the chain of desperations. The experience of our vulnerable beneficiaries include but not limited to the following; daily hunger, child malnutrition, a lack of access to clean water, shelter, and health care, no opportunity to go to school, constant fear for the future and increased risk of exploitation and abuse. The people often lack hope for the future because they live in a lie. The lie of poverty, that is reinforced day-in and day-out is, “You don’t matter. You’re worthless.” With more than 400,000 of South Sudanese who lost their lives to civil war only from the span of 2013; orphans and widows make up for the majority of the population. According to War Child Holland report “ more than 5 million children remain displaced, in need of humanitarian support, abuse, exploitation, neglect, profound distress and death.” https://www.warchildholland.org/south-sudan/ Most homes are headed by females and there is acute hunger and children are malnourished. The situation is even worsened by the effect of Rassia-Ukraine war. CSD keeps educating the vulnerable civil population on good and sustainable agriculture practices. Very sadly, Yambio community needs to learn how to mitigate the effects of drastic climate change other than depending entirely on the insufficient seasonal rainfall. We have to double effort and resources for the welfare of the desperate communities of Yambio. Single mothers have the desire to seek remedies to their poverty. Community Skills Development continue to organize and team the women into groups; a) Women Farmers b) Tailoring group and empowering them for economic Each group is already engaged in some sort of initiative for orientation towards self-empowerment. Part of the story Community Skills Development majorly supports impoverished women in Yambio County, Western Equatoria State, South Sudan. Since the year 2015 CSD has provided farmers with agricultural tools and seeds, fed malnourished children, sponsored orphans and also trained women to do farming. Community skills development, identifies program beneficiaries through the collaboration with traditional leaders and members of the community. The need is huge and resources meagre and we are seeking the support of our partners and well-wishers to extend your helping hands to the vulnerable people in South Sudan. Children living in extreme poverty in Africa are especially vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. Help protect and care for t n in Africa and around the world with a donation to our Highly Vulnerable Children Fund. The empowerment project is targeting two different groups constituting the 103 households, our dream is to empower vulnerable women groups to farm and tailoring. We are doing well to achieving our objectives and we lean on you to boost our effort in the struggle to support the vulnerable women. The step taken to empower 103 households of single mothers for their livelihoods is only possible because of the support of distinct persons who provided the funds. This time, we were able to purchase vegetable seeds, ground nuts, maize seeds and fuel to operate irrigation machine. The cost of empowering women farmers each farming season totals to US$ 15,000 however we do receive less than a thousand Dollars. In truth, our efforts are being minimally boosted and how we wish we gained women support to help their sisters in this region. Out of the two categories of women groups we set to support; tailors, and Farmers, only the women Farmers have the chance to the support. It is our desire this time round to lay much effort and resources on the tailoring group; to train them and provide them with knitting machines and materials. We will prepare them for entrepreneurship and equip them for their livelihoods. We remain grateful and thanking you very much.

Project ID: 32851

Project Title: Empower 103 households for their livelihoods

At the end of first plantation; CSD women Farmers again cleared their field for plantation in May and had their vegetables planted in June. CSD women Farmers are situated at Zambago area in Yambio County, Western Equatoria, State South. This planting season, CSD women farmers have planted half Hectare of Tomatoes, Egg Plants, Amaranthus and Carrots. There is good yield this year, we thank God. CSD women farmers wish to grow some cash crops like coffee, bananas and raise domestic animals; financial resources towards this ideal.

The beneficiaries of the project; empowerment of 103 households, have been vulnerable women; single mothers, widows, school drops outs and female headed households. Generally, there has been starvationamong the vulnerable women and some families simply go hungry on empty stomach or just a meager meal for a day. CSD women’s farming is a solution to place food on the plates of the families. The vegetables grown are sold out on the market and some are taken home to the families. Money earned is divided amongst the members (30 members) for their own needs. In addition, the women have learnedand belong to village saving and loan association (VSLA). It is a merit-go-round method, where the 30 members contribute weekly into a box and members receive that amount in turn monthly to invest in small business. Some of the women have started small business from the capital raised.

In Western Equatoria State, and in the whole of South Sudan, community pattern of feeding is very poor; there are those who can afford only one meal a day, and do not have balance diet. Therefore, cases of malnutrition are common and frequent in children and adults; sores on legs, stunted growth and poor human development. Actually, the consequences stem from etiologies such as low birth weight, premature delivery, persistent diarrhea and recurring sepsis or chronic underlying diseases or disability and the development of severe acute malnutrition in tender age is commonly reflected in suboptimal feeding practices. More than 50% of households in Yambio generally experience severe acute malnutrition which is often associated with high mortality in young infants and it has effects on children as a whole; mental retardation, stunted growth, poor immune system, micronutrient deficiency, anaemia and death.

Community Skills Development supports the 103 households of single mothers by the provision of extension services, provision of agricultural tools, and seeds to help the beneficiaries to grow crops and vegetables. Irrigation method has been taken up and practiced to mitigate the effect of climate change.

Single mothers harbour the desire to seek remedies to their own poverty challenges and Community Skills Development continue to support and train the groups; a) Women Farmers b) Tailoring group and c) Hair dressing group.

Each group is steadily engaged in the above self-empowerment strategies but inadequacy of resources is the main challenge.

Part of the story

Community Skills Development majorly supports impoverished women in Yambio County, Western Equatoria State, South Sudan. Community Skill Development was established in the year 2008 and since then we have provided farmers with agricultural tools and seeds, fed malnourished children, sponsored orphans and also trained women to do farming. Community skills development, identifies program beneficiaries through the collaboration with traditional leaders and members of the community. The need is huge and resources meagre and we are seeking the support of our partners and well-wishers to extend your helping hands to the vulnerable people in South Sudan.

Children living in extreme poverty in Africa are especially vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. Help protect and care for t The experience of our vulnerable beneficiaries include but not limited to the following; daily hunger, child malnutrition, a lack of access to clean water, shelter, and health care, no opportunity to go to school, constant fear for the future and increased risk of exploitation and abuse.The people often lack hope for the future because they live in a lie. The lie of poverty, that is reinforced day-in and day-out is, “You don’t matter. You’re worthless.” children in Africa and around the world with a donation to our Highly Vulnerable Children Fund.

The empowerment project is targeting three different groups constituting the 103 households, our dream is to empower vulnerable women groups to farm, to create small business via hair dressing and tailoring. We are almost half way to achieving our objectives and we lean on you to boost our effort in the struggle to support the vulnerable women.

We remain grateful and thanking you very much.