From the left: Duot Deng, an advocate, teacher, and human rights defender and Diko Janet Isaac, youth activist and Chairperson of the Plan International Youth Advisory Panel - Photo credit: Eye Radio

As South Sudan joins the rest of the world in marking International Youth Day, some youth activists are calling on their peers to embrace manual work and entrepreneurship instead of waiting for white-collar jobs.

They say young people should reject idleness and take action to build a better future for themselves and the country.

Duot Deng, a teacher, human rights defender, and advocate, said this year’s Youth Day is a call for action. Speaking on Eye Radio’s Dawn program, Deng urged youth not to rely only on government jobs, but to explore opportunities in the private sector.

“As young people, these International Youth Days are calls to action. When we talk about localizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we must apply them in the South Sudanese context. Our education system is struggling. If you are unemployed, why not volunteer? We face issues like poverty and hunger, yet there are construction projects everywhere, why not take off the suit and go work there?” he said.

For her part, Diko Janet Isaac, a youth activist and Chairperson of the Plan International Youth Advisory Panel, encouraged young people to pursue vocational skills as a path to self-reliance.

“I see many opportunities emerging. Recently, the office of the Vice President for the Gender Cluster launched internship programs for young graduates. These initiatives are great—but how sustainable are they? Many young people dream of graduating and getting formal jobs, but the chances are slim. We need to shift the narrative.

“For too long, university education has been seen as the only path, while jobs like boda-boda riding and skilled manual labor have been neglected. We should promote TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) programs to equip young people with practical knowledge and alternative livelihoods,” she said.

International Youth Day is marked on the 12th of August every year. It is a time to highlight the issues affecting young people and call for action from governments and development partners.

The theme for 2025 is “Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond”, which highlights the important role of youth in achieving and applying the Sustainable Development Goals at the community level.

Young people make up more than 70 percent of South Sudan’s population. But many continue to face challenges including conflict, insecurity, unemployment, and limited support for entrepreneurship.