Women for Women International

Project Summary

Women in South Sudan have survived decades of violence, lack of opportunity, and traditional customs that curb their rights. As a result, only 16% of women are literate, 57% of female-headed households live in poverty and over half of girls are married before the age of 18. Funding from ICAP Charity Day 2014 in London has supported 140 marginalised South Sudanese women to take part in a transformative year-long social and economic empowerment programme and funded a pioneering programme to train South Sudanese men on women’s rights.

Women from the Yei River County took part in fortnightly life skills training sessions throughout the year. Topics covered included: how to earn an income, save, and manage household finances; how to prevent disease and improve their families’ health; women’s rights within the laws of South Sudan and becoming more involved in decision-making; and the importance of working together in groups and social networks.

Joyce, grandmother and WfWI participant, from the Yei River County said: “Through the training on women’s role in development, gender equality, advocacy, communication, numeracy, entrepreneurship, hygiene and sanitation, I realise that I was living in total darkness but now I am seeing a bit of light.”

Alongside this, women learnt vocational and business skills so they could transform their new abilities into earning a sustainable income. Women in one community, who had trained in agriculture, came together to form a group business. They are now working to market their produce together so they can secure better prices.

WfWI has learnt that, if women are truly going to be able to flourish, it is essential to engage men as allies. Funding from ICAP’s Charity Day in 2014 also enabled the charity to develop a vital training programme and curriculum about women’s rights and role in the community for men in South Sudan. This programme seeks to encourage male partners and relatives to support women participants of WfWI’s year-long training to put their new skills into practice; provide male partners with knowledge on women’s rights and the vital role she plays in society; and alter men’s attitude towards women’s empowerment so that they speak up for gender equality in their communities. WfWI then piloted quarterly discussion forums and monthly training sessions with 661 South Sudanese men, a sample of whom completed tests before and after their training to assess changes in knowledge. After completing training, 74% of men rated their knowledge of women’s rights and roles in the family and community as high, compared to just 16% before training.

Below are some results taken from a sample of women who completed WfWI’s training programme in South Sudan in 2015. The data reveals that graduates reported making gains in their ability to earn income, participate in supportive social networks, improve their health and well-being, and actively participate in their families and communities. Specifically, upon completion of the programme:

• Women’s reported average monthly income rose from $8.17 at enrolment to $22.67 at the end of the year;
• 96% of women reported having knowledge of reproductive health, compared to 21% at enrolment;
• 83% of women reported that they participated in a local women’s association, up from 28% at the start;
• 88% of graduates reported participating in household financial decision-making, compared to 57% at enrolment; and
• 78% of women reported having knowledge of their rights, up from just 4% at enrolment, and 68% of women said they had shared this knowledge with other women.

ICAP’s donation has given a new lease of life to the women who have taken part, giving them the knowledge, skills and confidence to make real change in their lives for both their families and their community.

All images are courtesy of Charles Atiki Lomodong Photography.