The lives of many young people are being transformed because they are learning job skills and are able to support themselves and their families. With help from donors like you, World Concern operates the only vocational training program in Warrap State, South Sudan, which is home to about a million people. In South Sudan, 85% of the population is engaged in non-wage work, and half live on less than $1 a day.

I want to introduce you to John, a young dad whose life has changed dramatically because of your support in his village of Lietnhom, South Sudan, where the vocational training center is located.

John and his family have lived in Lietnhom for nine years. They witnessed, and survived, the brutal civil war that destroyed what little infrastructure that was there. Despite the hard life he’s lived, an immense smile spreads across John’s face. This and his lanky six-foot-five figure make him unmistakably memorable. But what’s most memorable about John is the great sense of dignity and excitement that he exudes.

Like many in South Sudan, John has spent the majority of his life struggling to provide an income for his family with no job skills. He has scarcely managed to feed his children. But because of the support of World Concern and donors like you, he has been given what every human being deserves—the opportunity to provide for himself and his family.

Through World Concern’s vocational training program, John was trained as a mechanic—and a fabulous one at that. He fixes motor bikes in a little shop in Lietnhom’s main market. He believes so strongly in the value of job skills that he’s training others in order that they too can find work and provide for themselves. His dream is to own his own mechanic shop someday and employ others like those he trains.

Empowerment to move past daily survival—this this is what John, and others, have been blessed with. You can see on his face the effect of such empowerment—dignity, self-sufficiency, and joy.

October 23, 2012

In spite of ongoing unrest and struggles in the under-developed country of South Sudan, your contributions are making a big difference in the village of Lietnhom for people like Veronica Ajok.

Veronica, the mother of six children, struggled to feed her family in drought conditions. “We rely on rain, and when there is no rain, we don’t have food,” she said. World Concern gave Veronica agricultural training and seeds. “I planted ground nuts and sorghum,” Veronica said. “I will sell the surplus after the harvest.” She hopes to get an ox plow and earn enough money for her children to get an education.

Akot Ajoik is a farmer and teacher with four children. “I try to improve my condition through cultivation,” he says. World Concern helped Akot increase his crop yields with an ox plow and money for hired help. “World Concern has helped me a lot. I was having a problem cultivating my crop. World Concern donated money to me, and I am able to hire people for weeding. The future of this area is improving. With World Concern’s help, we will be able to cultivate more.”

With your support, we’re also providing microloans to help build businesses in this impoverished village.

Peter Madut is the manager of a pharmacy where he has worked for two years. “We started small, and now we are able to expand and build a new pharmacy,” Peter said.  “World Concern loaned us money and allowed us to start this business. It is very good now, and we get something to eat. Now there is something to support our families, and we don’t have challenges like before. World Concern really helped us. Thank you for the support.”

Links:

• Christian recording artist visits South Sudan