Women and youth who completed vocational skills training attend their graduation ceremony in Abyei. Courtesy photo.

More than 600 women and youth have graduated from vocational skills training in the Abyei Special Administrative Area under a programme aimed at improving livelihoods and promoting self-reliance.

The graduation ceremony was held on Thursday under the Tailoring Project, implemented by the Ministry of Social Welfare in partnership with the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), the UN Police Gender Office, and other partners.

According to Abyei Minister of Information Yohana Akol Ngor, the programme trained 370 women in tailoring and handicrafts, while 250 young men completed training in mechanical engineering and vehicle repair through a partnership between the Ministry of Youth and Sports and UNHCR.

“The Ministry of Social Welfare, together with UNISFA UN Police, trained 370 women in tailoring and handicrafts. We also partnered with the Ministry of Youth and Sports and UNHCR to train 250 young men in mechanical engineering and vehicle repair,”  he said.

Minister Akol said the training programme is designed to equip women and young people with practical skills to create employment opportunities and reduce poverty in local communities.

“These skills will help them earn a living, support their families, and contribute to the development of Abyei,” he added.

He also said Abyei recorded improved results in the 2025 South Sudan Certificate of Secondary Education Examination, with the pass rate increasing to 43 percent from 32 percent the previous year.

According to the minister, the improvement reflects the administration’s investment in education, including the rehabilitation of Nyokol Primary School, which was destroyed during the 2011 conflict, and the construction of boreholes by Caritas to improve access to clean water.

He said the Abyei Administration will continue working with humanitarian and development partners to expand education and livelihood programmes across the region.