Magwi County Executive Director kicking the ball during the opening match © GIZ

Magwi (Eye Radio) – Magwi County in Eastern Equatoria State hosted the “Sport for Peace” Football Tournament, bringing together youth, women, and men from various Bomas to strengthen community bonds through the power of sport.

In a statement shared with Eye Radio, Women for Peace Envoy South Sudan (WPESS) announced the successful hosting of the “Sport for Peace” event on 15th-16th March.

The tournament took place in Obbo Payam, Magwi County, and was organized in partnership with local stakeholders.

Magwi County has been one of the hardest-hit areas by conflict, resulting in insecurity, mistrust, and displacement.

The event aimed to bring together youth, women, and men from various communities to foster peace and strengthen community bonds through the power of sport.

GIZ South Sudan, on behalf of the German Development Cooperation, provided financial support for the tournament.

“To foster trust, dialogue, and peaceful coexistence among communities affected by conflict, the tournament united six Bomas — Labato, Lowudo, Alia, Lerwa, Cama, and Licari — engaging 325 players (150 women, 150 men and 25 community leaders) and drawing over 1,000 spectators,” stated the statement.

“A key focus of the event was to encourage women’s participation in sports, creating a supportive
environment where they felt safe, motivated, and empowered to take part.”

The event was officially opened by Mr. Maurice Ladu Wani, Executive Director of Magwi County, alongside Hon. Achan Betty Ogwaro, National Member of Parliament for the Women’s League, and Mr. Okullo Peter, President of Magwi County Local Football Association.

Beyond the game itself, this initiative created an open space for dialogue, where messages of peace were shared, and community members actively engaged in discussions on peace and reconciliation.

The event received very positive feedback from the participants, who said that they enjoyed the fun atmosphere and highlighted how important it is to create opportunities where diverse communities are united.

A major outcome of the event was the collective commitment from Obbo Payam’s community members to take an active role in peacebuilding, engaging in conflict resolution efforts within their villages, Bomas, and broader communities.

The project “Community Driven Rural Development (CDRD)” is jointly funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and implemented by GIZ in the framework of a four-year cooperation.

The CDRD-project advocates for the development and amplification of high-yield, agroecological and climate-adapted agriculture and value chains to improve the living conditions and economic prospects of people in rural areas.

Through targeted interventions, the project advises regional administrations and civil society actors on development planning processes with a focus on conflict prevention and gender equality.

At the same time, it helps smallholder farmers, women, and young adults in rural areas as well as community-based agricultural organisations to gain better access to means of production, markets, and services in agriculture.

The CDRD-project has been implemented by GIZ since 2022 and has been upscaled thematically and geographically at the beginning of 2024 with substantial co-funding from the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

In South Sudan, GIZ works on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Germany provides humanitarian assistance and supports the long-term development of South Sudan, above all in the fields of local governance, rural development, sustainable agri-food systems, water and sanitation supply, peace and reconciliation, gender equality and SGBV prevention.

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH is a federal enterprise with worldwide operations. It supports the German Government in the field of international cooperation for sustainable development.

GIZ is also engaged in international education activities around the globe. Through its work, it assists people and societies in shaping their future and improving living conditions.