Rebuilding Southern Sudan

Twenty years of civil war resulted in enormous consequences for the people of southern Sudan.  Two million people died, another 4 million were displaced and cities and towns damaged, destroyed and residents dispersed as noncombatants fled the fighting.  Southern Sudan is one of the poorest areas in the world, with an estimated 90% of the population earning less than $1 per day. Economic infrastructure was destroyed or damaged, and commercial activity severely disrupted.  During the transition from war to peace, it is important that people are able to rebuild livelihoods and return to communities where there is potential for growth and the economic infrastructure is stable to facilitate recovery.   

Winrock, working with partner organizations through the Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance (VEGA), implemented the Agricultural Market and Enterprise Development (AMED) program. AMED focused on the needs of returning internally displaced persons (IDPs), refugees, ex-combatants, and youth, and reintegrating them into communities and a private sector-based economy with the capacity to expand and create employment and increased income. Activities were oriented toward the cities of Juba, Wau, and Yei and the regions that surround those cities.

The goals and objectives of the AMED program evolved over the life of the project in response to changes in USAID/Sudan strategy. Initially, AMED was designed to establish the foundation for economic recovery through:
• capacity building in agriculture and natural resource systems;
• direct support to the private sector;
• support to governmental and non-governmental agencies that facilitate recovery; and
• support to the Government of Sudan (GOSS) policy and support systems.

In 2006, the program was redesigned to promote stability, recovery, and democratic reform of USAID/Sudan's 2006-2008 strategy. The redesigned program had two primary objectives:
• to increase private sector opportunities in select urban areas; and
• to enhance the capacity of local community, county, and state level government and civil society institutions.

The VEGA/AMED program was modified once more in late 2007 to expand the size and scope of the program to strengthen the nascent private sector on a broader and deeper level. Though the program continued to support the two rpimary objectives, program activities were refined to focus on micro-enterprise development in selected urban areas and on agricultural marketing and processing activities. The program's primary method to impact change in these areas was through the provision of volunteers for technical assistance.

Winrock International served as the lead organization under VEGA and provided overall program management, management of training activities, and monitoring and evaluation. Winrock also led training and support activities in various sectors as well as recruitment of Sudanese Diaspora. VEGA/AMED strove to build capacity of local institutions, focused on market development, and served as an information and technical resource to private enterprises, local institutions, and GOSS agencies. VEGA's approach to implementation included:
• development of plans for promising sub-sectors and industry clusters;
• capacity building assistance and value chain understanding towards both regional and domestic markets;
• support of economic infrastructure reconstruction and programs facilitating trade;
• strengthening the technical and managerial capacity among entrepreneurs;
• strengthening NGO and GOSS institutions; and
• technical and training support from Sudan's Diaspora, when possible.

This project directly benefited almost 2,500 individuals, including 734 women.

• Delivered agricultural training and technical assistance to more than 1,200 individuals (25% women) with agribusinesses, cooperatives and associations, and government agencies.
• Strengthened capacity of 8 GOSS ministries; assisted state and local institutions.
• Assisted GOSS Ministry of Commerce to develop 6 acts to expand trade and establish private sector development. Developed new, reasonably priced trading licenses resulting in 100 new import licenses worth $150,000, creating jobs for approximately 770 Sudanese. Acted as a catalyst for Ministry of Animal Resources and Fisheries to pursue funding to develop fisheries. They subsequently received a pledge of $5.35 million from Multi-Donor Trust Fund and $4.5 million from Sudan Productive Capacity Recovery Program.
• Assistance and training for more than 100 micro and small businesses, including a workshop organized by Rumbek's Mayor training 40 businessmen.
• Training on basic business skills and marketing for 25 members of the Terkeka Women's Self-Help Development Organization (WSHDO), resulting in a 240% increase in per garment price for one seamstress. Most members went on to form another market-oriented group, now 53 individuals, who each contribute two Sudanese Pounds per day to raise capital. 
• Improved hygiene, sanitation, and general food service operations at 3 WSHDO cafeterias. Five WSHDO cooks learned new cooking skills. WSHDO is now well recognized among Juba for its catering services, and it identifies eligible women for training opportunities and other activities. The client base growth resulted in a 70% increase in monthly sales.
• Strengthened 7cooperatives and 2 business associations with approximately 100 cooperative members receiving direct training in business and marketing skills.
• Improved effectiveness of the Nile Community Development Organization's (NICODO) milk processing and they expanded into cheese processing.
• Played an integral role in the formation of the first democratically-elected State Chamber of Commerce in Western Bahr el Ghazal and in the formation of the Upper Niile State Chamber of Commerce in Malakal.
• Implemented a strategic planning workshop that led 36 members of the Mongalla Payam Development Association to assess and develop goals and activities for the newly formed community-based organization.
• Worked with the Yei Crop Training Center resulted in increased agricultural production and savings in man-hours for about 80 farmers and their households, freeing up time for education (especially women and children) and the pursuit of other income-generating activities.
• Assisted in formation and registration of Natabo Farmers Association, which was awarded a grant of approximately US $10,000, enabling them to make capital investments.