For South Sudanese women, trade support eases burdens

Stella Kakayo, a 34-year-old single mother of three in Juba, was barely surviving selling food items in her neighbourhood. She wasn't the only vendor in the area, and competition was tough.

When she didn't make sales, she and her children would resolve to cook the leftover items to eat. This went on until they had nothing left to sell, and nothing left to eat. Stella reached a point where she had lost all hope.

Veronica Gabriel, a woman from Yambio, is faced with the responsibility of raising her nine children. Eight of them are enrolled in public schools, but financially it was a tug of war between educational materials, school lunches and household items.

Many nights, Veronica and her children slept on empty stomachs. She believes that they didn't die of starvation only because nature had better plans in store for them.

For Mariam Jaffar, affording medical care for her daughter was a mirage. Whenever her daughter was sick, all she could do was wait for time to heal her - there was no money for medication.

Tides turned

In October 2024, the International Trade Centre (ITC) and its partners in South Sudan - Women's Agency for Resilience and Transformation in Juba and Bentiu, Rural Development Action Aid in Yambio, and the African Initiative for Rural Development in Bor - onboarded nearly 200 survivors into a business support training programme.

Over eight months, the women were equipped with skills in farming, soap making and small-scale retail, and they received business start-up grants. They also received tailored market information that helped them to connect with local markets and financial services.

After the training, Stella used her start-up grant to purchase traditional handicrafts to sell in Juba.

'When I received the capital, I decided to switch from the food business that failed before. I purchased traditional handicrafts - African bags, dresses and craft shoes. I also started making and selling liquid soap and a local hair product', said Stella.

Stella now earns a steady income. 'I take my wares from office to office and to different salons. I also have people who place bulk orders for liquid soap. In one month, I made a profit of 180,450 SSP [about $300],' she explained.

Her children are now enrolled in school and she can afford to meet their basic needs.

For all these women in Juba and Yambio, the training and start-up support have been financially transformative.

Dignity through trade

'Before, I used to see myself as nobody. I wondered why I was still alive,' Mariam said. 'Now, I feel like a human being again. Those who used to ridicule me are now asking me to train them in soap making so they can earn money like I do.'

Veronica, who now farms groundnuts and maize, aims to cultivate more next season. 'I am selling, eating, and getting money from my farm. It helps me pay school fees and buy basic household items like soap and salt,' she said.

Santina Sebit Alfred, a physically disabled mother of five, has turned her skills into income. With the skills she learned from the training programme, she now bakes bread, makes samosas, produces liquid and hard soap, plaits hair, and knits bedsheets for sale.

Financial sustainability through trade

Tereza Yohanis, who was once a firewood collector, now runs a small food business.

'They didn't just bring food for us to eat and survive temporarily. We were trained in business. We were taught how to start and run our own businesses. Now I sell groundnuts, crackers, and mandazi. I go to Konyokonyo, buy items, and sell them here in the camp,' she said.

As the humanitarian space evolves globally, support for survivors like these reflects how shifting from aid dependency to trade-based solutions can unlock financial independence.

About the project

The 'Building socio-economic resilience for survivors of Conflict-related Sexual Violence (CRSV) in South Sudan' project aims to support survivors and at-risk groups of CRSV. The project's targeted impact is for CRSV survivors and at-risk groups to have greater support and resources for mitigation, prevention and sustainable recovery to assert their agency. The project was implemented alongside the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).