165 out-of-school youth in Juba graduate from vocational skills trainings

“Before the training, I was a school dropout and had no job. But now I have skills and a job”, says Godfrey, 25.

Godfrey is among the 165 youth who graduated from World Vision’s life skills training on general electricity in 2018. His father lost his job and Godfrey had to drop out of school in primary eight. He adds, “Being the firstborn, I tried to work and earn money to feed my family but I struggled.”

With funding from the World Food Programme (WFP), World Vision has been implementing the Juba Emergency Food Security Project since 2016. The project targets the most vulnerable households in Juba’s urban community and helps improve access to food and their basic needs.

Part of the project is to support the youth groups and organize the vocational training in selected vocational skills that include tailoring, construction, and general electricity for a period of 12 months.

So far, the initiative has graduated close to 165 students and was provided with startup kits to enable them to practice the knowledge acquired and start earning income for their families.

Godfrey studied at St. Vincent Vocational Training Center in Lologo, a part of Juba. “I devoted all my time energy to it. I did not miss my classes even when I got sick because I wanted to provide for my family and go back to school someday”, he shares.

Before this, he tried to enroll himself in a building training course and graduated but the money he earns from the odd jobs could not sustain him and the family. His bigger goal was to earn more to proceed for higher education apart from supporting his family. 

“As I did World Vision’s training, I started going around the neighborhood offering my services to people with solar connections. It became a part of my learning process”, he says. Most of the households and buildings in the country rely on generators and solar panels.

Godfrey adds, “My first job installing light bulbs immediately after graduation earned me SSP5000 ($25).”

With the start-up kit provided to him by World Vision, Godfrey was able to realize his plan. “Now I earn US$50-60 per day and I have many clients in the area. Even St. Vincent calls me to do work on their electric connections.”

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Godfrey proudly shared that he is now able to feed his family and save for his plan to enroll in for a college diploma next year. “I can now afford”, he said with confidence.

He is trying to organize all the youth who graduated to form a group so they can help each other get better job contracts. Godfrey says, “This will help us work with companies and institutions. I appreciate World Vision for providing the skills training and transforming our lives.”

World Vision’s Juba Operations Manager Gift Sibanda explains, “World Vision’s intervention aims to help build resilient and self-reliant communities. With available resources, we help these communities find longer-term solutions towards self-reliance.”

He concludes, “In Juba, this vocational skills training that Godfrey graduated from is part of a key intervention where the selected youth from vulnerable households are trained, given kits and support. We are happy that many of them now have a livelihood to depend on and provide for their families’ immediate needs.”e 

More videos here: World Vision in South Sudan

Story and photos by Scovia Faida Charles Duku, Communications Officer