The picture above presents the GBV survivor demonstrating how the house was set on fire.

Bakhita (not her real name) who is a survivor of gender-based violence, found herself facing immense hardship after her son set their home ablaze and nearly shot her. With her belongings lost and nowhere to turn to, Josephine received crucial in-kind support from Root of Generations, which enabled her to transform adversity into opportunity.

By utilizing maize flour to brew the local bread, “Mandazzi,” Josephine not only supported her family but also built a sustainable income, overcoming stigma and integrating into her community.

What transpired the most for Bakhita was her turnaround in utilizing the in-kind support she received. She decided to use 25Kgs of maize to establish an income-generating activity for herself.

Bakhita stated that upon receiving the in-kind support from Root of Generations, she immediately explored how to turn part of the items into a business to help sustain her family during this difficult time.

After considering her options, she realized that fermenting maize flour into local bread could be a valid income-generating activity, as it was a common practice in Budi for local people especially from the mountains and local villages to eat along the streets especially delicious fried mandazi.

Bakhita wasted no time and began the maize flour the process. First start involved her asking for a cup of cooking oil from the neighbor, the second step was to grin the maize into flour and begin to ferment overnight to increase the elasticity.

She was able to make a profit, which not only provided food for her children but also allowed her to double her initial 25kgs of maize to 50kgs.

Her business continued to grow, and she was able to raise 20,000 South Sudanese pounds, which enabled her to pay rent for a place to stay, as her house had been destroyed in the fire.

Despite the challenges of integrating into the new community of Nangoromito, where she faced insults and isolation from local women due to the incident, Josephine found strength in the support from Root of Generations.

This support empowered her to work tirelessly and become self-reliant, enabling her to thrive through these tough times.

Today, Bakhita has gained stability.

She can provide for her family as she did before, has overcome the stigma surrounding her experience, and has successfully integrated into her new community.

Bakhita applauded Root of Generations and their partner, NPA for their efforts in supporting survivors and marginalized women in Budi and, hopefully, in South Sudan at large.