You are here: Home | Education | Humanitarian | News | USAID-supported program equips 14,000 youth with essential skills in two years
Hundreds of young people graduate with literacy and business skills in Juba. Nov 28, 2024. (Photo: Courtesy).
The USAID’s Youth Empowerment Activity has surpassed its halfway target after graduating 14,000 young people with literacy and business skills across 14 counties in South Sudan in the first two of the four-year initiative.
The latest round of YEA graduation held at Juba Technical Secondary School on Thursday, has passed out 490 youth including 254 females and 236 males.
Implemented by Education Development Center (EDC), the program launched in August 2022 has now surpassed the halfway mark of the targeted 25,000 beneficiaries of the four-year project.
Addressing the event, U.S. Ambassador to South Sudan, Michael J. Adler emphasizes the importance of investing in education as a foundational pillar for a country’s development.
Amb. Adler encouraged the South Sudan government to allocate public revenue transparently and appropriately across all its sectors.
“We know this is just a fraction of the millions who need access to these opportunities. Transitional government investment in education is not optional,” he said.
“It is essential to building a peaceful, prosperous, and self-reliant generation that can help build a better future for this country. So I renew our call in the transitional government to start using public revenue transparently and appropriately to support public education as well as other basic services.”
He suggested adequate school funding and timely payment of teachers and lecturers to foster a stable and prosperous future for South Sudanese youth.
“Teachers must be paid on time and schools must receive the funding they need to operate. The United States remains committed to helping the people of South Sudan. This commitment is decades old.”
“It predates the independence of this country. It began and remains based on values, belief in peace, human rights, democracy, and a government responsive to its people’s needs.”
Amb. Adler further said the YEA reflects a longstanding commitment from the United States to support the people of South Sudan, rooted in shared values of peace, human rights, democracy, and accountability in governance.
He stated that the transitional government’s underinvestment in education, has prevented millions of youth from accessing essential educational opportunities.
He called on government officials to take education responsibility and not depend solely on donor support.
“For too long, there has been underinvestment by the transitional government in public education. Millions of South Sudanese youth lack access to the education and opportunities they need to realize their full potential.”
“Representatives of the ministries, this cannot be left to donors alone to address. The youth empowerment activity is helping by providing foundational literacy and numeracy skills, entrepreneurial training, and knowledge about critical topics.”
Support Eye Radio, the first independent radio broadcaster of news, information & entertainment in South Sudan.
Make a monthly or a one off contribution.
Copyright 2025. All rights reserved. Eye Radio is a product of Eye Media Limited.