The Greater Bahr el Ghazal Land Alliance, a national land advocacy organization has handed over 30 titled deeds to vulnerable women including returnees in Wau town of Western Bahel Ghazal State.
According to the organization, many vulnerable communities lost their lands and land documents during the 2013 and 2016 civil conflicts in the country.
Alfred Angok Uliny, the Executive Director of the organization, said during the handover ceremony that the work has taken about two years.
“This work we had been doing for almost two years. We started in 2019 by producing land documents for the vulnerable people in Wau. What is left now is we have around 20 in court followed by the advocates to assist them in getting back their land rights,” said Uliny.
Uliny adds, "We are helping them because they are very vulnerable, they cannot afford to claim back their lands after they were seriously affected during the war. Some lost their documents when they run outside the country of which they cannot now be able to reproduce their land documents in the ministry.”
Sederina Mario, one of the beneficiaries, could not hide her joy.
“Let me thank God and the organization Land Alliance. I did not expect that I will get back my land documents like this in my hands because my condition has moved from bad to worse. I don’t have anything, I have children who are schooling, they need school fees, food, and treatments. I thank this organization so much because I have in my hand my land documents today,” said Mario. “I was worrying that my land would have to be taken from me because I didn't have the right documents."
Another beneficiary, Rajina Agustino said, “I thank them one hundred percent because I managed to get back my land documents. I also urged my fellow women to jointly come together with this organization to help them."