Across South Sudan, millions of women and youth have been severely affected by war and conflict. With limited opportunities to support themselves, they are at risk of hunger, even starvation in some areas, and, particularly for male youths, being drawn into violent militias further stoking communal violence. Women and girls have been subjected to horrifying gender-based violence.
AFRECS has been partnering with the Mothers Union and the Five Talents organization in providing trauma healing training in Renk, Terekeka and Juba Dioceses. Young women and a few young men are organized into beginner groups which mature into savings groups after a year of literacy and numeracy training. The savings groups mobilize funds to enable participants to establish small businesses. Participants in both beginner and savings groups receive trauma healing instruction adapted from the American Bible Society’s Healing the Wounds of Trauma. As they learn to trust each other in sharing funds, they find they can trust each other with their stories of trauma – the murder of loved ones and sexual violence. The healing process is enhanced by Christian ritual and “taking their pain to the Cross.” At the end of 2022 more than 50 groups in Renk and 40 in Terekeka had received trauma mitigation training. Our surveys show a majority of group members cite an improvement in both family and community relationships.
AFRECS would like to expand this successful program to other parts of South Sudan. Please help by clicking below to make a gift to AFRECS today!