The Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare, in partnership with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and South Sudan Social and Economic Empowerment Project (SSWSEEP), on Thursday launched a project worth USD 10 million to empower 1,500 entrepreneurs in Juba.
The two-year project dubbed “Women Entrepreneurial Opportunity Facility,” funded by the World Bank, will provide market-oriented skills, enhance business skills, and improve access to financial services. It will also address the unique challenges faced by women-led micro, small, medium, and large-scale enterprises and create a supportive atmosphere for their success.
Speaking during the launch of the project in Juba, the Minister of Gender, Child and Social Welfare, Aya Benjamin Warille, said the project aims to create an inclusive society where women will have equal access to economic opportunities.
“This fund aims to provide financial support, training, and resources to women entrepreneurs, enabling them to grow their businesses,” she stated. “By doing so, we are not only empowering individual women but also contributing to the overall economic development.”
For his part, the Deputy Program Director of the International Rescue Committee, Cosmas Ayella, said the project will equip women with business and financial skills, technical advisory services, and business financing to grow their businesses.
“This project represents a very significant milestone in empowering over 1,200 women-owned, small, medium,m and large-scale businesses in South Sudan by equipping them with business skills and financial skills, technical advisory services, and business financing to grow their businesses,” he said.
Meanwhile, Lansana Wonneh, Program Manager of South Sudan Social and Economic Empowerment Project (SSWSEEP), said the project will create more jobs and contribute to the growth of the country’s economy.
“This project is a transformative initiative by the national government through the support of the World Bank. The Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare’s overarching objective is to promote gender equality and women empowerment in South Sudan, and SSWSEEP is a critical component of this mandate,” said Wonneh.