The German Embassy in Juba has awarded grants to two national NGOs with the aim of improving community cohesion and fostering peace.
In a press release extended to Radio Tamazuj Friday, the embassy said the Gender Equality and Social Support Organization (GESSO) will use the funding to build resilience and create effective collaborative solutions to address sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) within the Mangateen IDP camp.
It further said RECONCILE International will use the resources provided by Germany to conduct football tournaments in Kajo-Keji, bringing together communities and reducing tensions.
Speaking during the contract signing, GESSO’s Executive Director, Ms Sarah Nyanath Elijah, stated, “Our project will have a significant impact on the lives of those in the Mangateen IDP camp. The prevention strategies aim to reduce the number of SGBV incidents, while our support services will provide survivors with improved access to medical, psychological and legal assistance. Through our capacity-building and economic empowerment programs, we hope to boost the self-confidence, independence, and resilience of differently-abled women and girls.”
Meanwhile, RECONCILE International’s Director, Rev. Peter Tibi mentioned, “We are grateful for the support of the German Embassy in Juba. This project has been a long-standing request from the people of Kajo-Keji and we look forward to implementing it and seeing its positive impact on the local community. By bringing youth together through football, the project aims to promote peace, reconciliation, forgiveness, and healing within the community.”
Simon Ruf, the German Head of Cooperation, said: “Our support for the GESSO program demonstrates our dedication to promoting gender equality and fighting SGBV. The football tournament which will be organized by RECONCILE International, will promote social cohesion and reduce tensions among communities affected by conflict including refugees returning to their homes. We are proud to work with local partners and support their extremely valuable work in helping to rebuild communities and foster peace.”
Germany, one of the largest contributors of humanitarian assistance in South Sudan, also supports the implementation of the peace process.