Vice President Rebecca Nyandeng addressing Young Entrepreneurs in Juba - CREDIT | Stephen Chot/Eye Radio | December 1, 2021

Vice President Rebecca Nyandeng appeals to South Sudanese women and youth to rise beyond obstacles in their pursuit of success, assuring them of the government’s commitment to create favorable condition for realizing their potential.

It is estimated that 73% of South Sudan’s population is under the age of 30 years – with over half of that women.

Yet, the country’s largest demographic face numerous challenges that limit their access to education and livelihoods opportunities.

Launching the Women and Youth Leadership Project in Juba on February 12, Vice President Nyandeng stated said the country can neither develop nor move forward without its women and youth.

The project, funded by UN development program (UNDP), will ensure that youth have access to paid internships in the corporate and NGO sectors upon completing their studies.

Nyandeng also acknowledged that South Sudan has been through crises, which made it difficult for youth to improve their lives.

“I know that many of you here are eager…. to work, yet opportunities can seem few and far between. I also know that the frustration of wanting to contribute but feeling like the door will not open,” Nyandeng said.

“That’s why we are here today to change that, to give our young women and men not just hope, but real chance to grow, to gain experience and to lead.”

VP Nyandeng stressed that many South Sudanese youth and women face obstacles, including barriers to employment, outdated gender norms and systems that were not built with women in mind.

The vice president said the empowerment project that the government launched in partnership with UN development agency (UNDP) will be a “bridge between potential and opportunity.”

The initiative, which Nyandeng said has received overwhelming applications from across the country and in the diaspora, will serve as a stepping stone for those ready to realize their potential.

She encouraged the beneficiaries to take ever task seriously, adding that the best leaders do not wait for the most perfect opportunity but “take what they have and make the most of it.”