Creating Change: Youth Skills for Peace and Development in Abyei

Abyei - A total of 161 students graduated from the Abyei Vocational Training Center with certificates in
business administration, computer science, tailoring, catering, hospitality, and construction.

Abyei region, which is disputed between Sudan and South Sudan, is also a region affected by long-standing
conflicts. However, this unique region gathered internally displaced persons and returnees and incubated
the vocational training center to contribute to sustainable development of the community.

“Skills development and vocational training are South Sudan's top priorities” said Mr. John Chol, Director General of Vocational Training Centers at the National Ministry of Labour at the second graduation ceremony held on 02 July 2024 in Abyei. He emphasized that the purpose of vocational training is to address the local unemployment issue and advocated for investing in young people who possess talents, creating in young people a variety of skills for employment possibilities.

This initiative led by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in collaboration with Abyei Special Administrative Area and the Ministries of Labour and General Education, with support from the United Nations Interim Security Force of Abyei(UNISFA) and Korea International Cooperation Agency(KOICA) is making a tangible change at the local community level which gradually will make an impact at the national level.

The Vocational Training Center in Abyei aims to enhance the skills of youth and women through offering training in various handson skills, including tailoring, catering, and masonry. These programs provide practical skills that can help participants secure employment or start their own businesses. Consequently, according to the evaluation statistics about 2023 graduates with a number estimated by 131, out of whom 51% have established their own businesses and 31% are now working with UNISFA, UN, and other NGOs. “This initiative goes beyond proving humanitarian assistance as it gives young people the path way to have control over their own lives. This is anchored on the needs being market driven and led by the labour needs in the area” said Benjamin Moore, IOM South Sudan’s Transition and Recovery Programme Coordinator.

Approximately 73.4% of South Sudan’s population is under the age of 30 years of age, this indicates indicates the significant demands for education, skills development; job opportunities to align with the labor market.

Since 2014, the United Nations General Assembly designated July 15th as World Youth Skills Day to highlight the need of preparing young people for employment, fulfilling work and entrepreneurship. This annual event facilitates dialogue among youth, technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions, employers, policymakers, and development partners. It emphasizes the significant increase for the sustainable skills, with future projections estimating that 600 million jobs will be required by 2030 to meet global youth employment demands, and South Sudan youth are definitely considered.

The theme for 2024 "Youth Skills for Peace and Development," underscores the crucial role young people play in peacebuilding and conflict resolution, a subject area which could not be more timely for South Sudan. The Vocational Training Center in Abyei, a beacon of hope in a region scarred by conflict, is not merely teaching skills but fostering a brighter future for South Sudan. By equipping young people with practical, in-demand skills and a foundation in peacebuilding, the VTC is creating a ripple effect that extends beyond individual lives.

The success of the center, evidenced by its graduates' entrepreneurial ventures and employment opportunities, demonstrates the transformative power of investing in youth. “South Sudan, despite its challenges, holds immense potential. With strategic investments in skills development, peacebuilding, and youth empowerment, the country can harness the energy and talent of its young generation, paving the way for a brighter future for all South Sudanese” concluded Benjamin Moore during the graduation ceremony in Abyei.

This story was written by the Peacebuilding, Infrastructure, Livelihoods team in the Transition and Recovery Unit of IOM South Sudan. IOM’s Transition and Recovery Unit develops programmes that address the root causes of instability and conflict in South Sudan through community based peace building and conflict mitigation strategies.