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More than 500 Sudanese refugees and members of the host community are set to benefit from a new Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Centre launched in Wedweil Refugee Settlement in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State.

The facility, established by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) with support from the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), will provide practical skills training to 350 Sudanese refugees and 150 host community members.

The centre will offer courses in tailoring, carpentry, hairdressing, bakery, agriculture, and masonry to help participants build sustainable livelihoods.

Speaking during the launch, UNHCR Camp Coordinator and Camp Manager Garang Mayuen said the centre is intended to promote self-reliance at a time when humanitarian funding is declining.

“These six units will be providing technical and vocational training for the learners to build their capacity so that they can become self-reliant,” Mayuen said.

The launch coincided with a Back-to-Learning campaign aimed at encouraging refugee families to enrol children who have not yet returned to school.

NRC Wudweil Area Manager Mercy Gitau said vocational training equips young people with practical skills that can help them earn a living.

“When you have skills in your hands, you can employ yourself,” Gitau said, adding that skills such as carpentry, baking, and tailoring can enable graduates to start small businesses.

She said humanitarian agencies remain committed to supporting displaced communities but noted that shrinking donor funding has increased the need to focus on resilience and self-reliance.

Wudweil Refugee Settlement hosts thousands of people who fled the conflict in neighbouring Sudan, which erupted in April 2023. Officials say the new training centre is expected to improve economic opportunities for refugees and host communities while supporting long-term integration.