Monthly Report

Name of Organisation: Organization for Peace, Relief and Development (OPRD) Location/State: Bor

Project name: Support to Local Peace-building through strengthening community’s interdependencies and increasing social interactions and mutual cooperation for a peaceful society in Pibor, Budi, Kapoeta-North, Kapoeta East and Lopa/Lafon Counties.

Section 1:

Reporting period: August, 2018 Date of report: 05/09/2018

Name: Joseph Dimber

Title: Programme Coordinator

Contact information: +211925597654 / jdimber@oprd.org

Section 2: Main project highlights and updates

Guidance: Provide an overview of main project achievements during the month.

Needs assessment for women in the three Counties of Budi, Kapoeta Nort North and Kapoeta East to establish the real requirements of the women these Counties that can be availed through this project. During these needs establishment meetings that were done in two (2) days in each of the Counties, several needs were proposed by women as requiring interventions. These included but not limited to the follow:- Adult literacy classes, need for grinding machines (Posho-mills), need for small businesses by individuals, need for formation of women cooperatives in the various villages that will see these women produce and sell their wares in the bigger markets, need for food selling businesses and creating of spaces for selling local brews that are common in the area.

When asked to prioritize their needs, the women from Kapoeta north prioritized grinding mills that they

defended would ease their chores and reduce the distance to be covered if they were to walk on foot to far distant places for the sake of grinding mill. In Budi County the group proposed a mixture between the grinding mill business and formation of women working together as a group to run vegetable production for the sake of the group. The produce, they proposed would be sold in the local market for their profits to stand alone as a group. They could not reach a compromised between the two. They finally said that they need to be given more time to deliberate between the two options. In Kapoeta East, the women group that was met proposed a number of activities and narrowed down to small businesses for individuals in form of ‘merry-go-round’ or revolving fund to be managed by OPRD.

All the above activities happened between 2nd, Augist and 10th, August 2018. The first even happened in form of a workshop for the women group in Kapoeta North on the 2nd and 3rd August 2018. The second event happened on the 6th and 7th August 2018 in Kapoeta North. It was done in the same fashion of the Budi, i.e. in form of workshop for the formed women group in this location. The last session in this series of women needs assessment happened on 9thand 10th August 2018. This was because it was the same team that was going round in all these locations and they needed one day to rest before proceeding to Kapoeta East. In all these workshops, the team targeted only 20 people for the workshop. This had initially been indicated to the groups as to when the group will be visiting their locations. All the women in the three groups were present and this shows commitment from these groups and how appreciative they are in the project. OPRD is very happy with the turn out from the participants and we believe that the group will go a long way together in cooperation with the OPRD field team in Kapoeta.

The second series of activities conducted in the month of August was the mobilization of Youth groups in the cattle camps in Budi and Kapoeta East. In this element the cattle camp youth were being met and mobilized to take part in these series of community dialogues and talks that are aimed at creating cohesion among the communities living together in South Sudan. They are very vital elements in the talks to create peace and cohesion in the communities within our society. In most cases, these youths are the ones that are being used to cause crisis in the Country against each community that are deemed unfriendly. The project felt of including them so that they are part of the talks and consequently the solution to the menace affecting most communities in South Sudan. In most cases they are always left on their own in the cattle camps and they feel neglected from the rest of the community. This initiative was to inform them to be taking place, not all of them but rather their representatives to take a word back to them when the resolutions are made and also to bring their concerns about issues being discussed plus any grievances they might be having. Their issues be part and parcel of the community concerns.

The first event took place in Budi County on the 13 th and 14th August where our staffs were taken to meet the heads of the cattle camp boys. They did not meet with the cattle cam youths but only with their heads. The following day 14th is when they were allowed to meet with the youths of the group. The group met consisted of 30 boys. The meeting started at 10 a.m. and ended at 12.30 p.m. This meeting gave chance for our team to explain directly to the cattle camp youths the concept of the project and gave these youths also a chance to ask all the relevant questions they could be having to clear the cloud that could be on their minds. The youths were very happy and thankful for the chance given to them and considering them to be important for the community function. They said that at last they have been

regarded as important group within the community. The second mobilization among the cattle camp youths took place on the 16th and 17th August in Kapoeta East where our staffs met and discussed with the cattle camp youths on the need for them to cooperate with the rest of the community representatives including the local authorities and coordinate their activities in consultation with the County authorities for the sake of peace within the community and their neighbouring communities. This, they were told will ensure that their interests are aligned to the community interests and coordinated to be well understood. They were informed that it was important for the cattle camp youths to involve themselves and participate fully in the community meetings and activities as this is part of their project where they need to take part in.

During the same month of August in the Counties of Budi, Kapoeta East and Kapoeta North, OPRD managed to form Psychosocial support group by selecting 10 women and five youths from each of these Counties for training on Psychosocial support. This is aimed at creating a PSS services delivery within the locality that will be conducting these services at the designated locations in the Women and girls friendly spaces and also in other community support structures within the community. As part of the training the participants were introduced to Counselling techniques and the stages that involve a lot on mental health services in the community. The issues of registration and procedures involved in psychosocial support plus the confidentiality were discussed at length with participants given time to show their understanding of the subject. This was in preparation for the services that they will be rendering to the community members in the near future. The training in Budi took place on the 21 st and 22nd August 2018. The training for Kapoeta North was done on 27th and 28th August 2018.

Section 3:

Planned activities for the month (as per the signed agreement)

Update on planned activities

1. Needs assessment for women groups in Budi County

This was the among the needs assessment exercises that OPRD did in the three Counties. It was attended by all the 20 members of the women group that had been formed in the initial stages of the project roll out. The exercise was within two days and it was conducted in form of a workshop in which women were given time to deliberate on the possible initiatives that they felt could benefit them and benefit the community at large in the long run. Among the initiatives proposed by these women included; Adult literacy classes, need for grinding machines (Posho-mills), need for small businesses by individuals, need for formation of women cooperatives in the various villages that will see these women produce and sell their wares in the bigger markets, need for food selling businesses and creation of spaces for selling local brews. Strangely, some of the women mentioned the need to buy goods from Kapoeta and sell in the local market in Budi if the border crisis in Nauro could be solved. This workshop was held on the 2nd and the 3rd of August 2018.

2. Needs assessment for women group in Kapoeta North County

This was the second women need assessment workshop following the one done in Budi County. It was conducted on the 6 th and 8th, August 2018 in Kapoeta North County. All the 20 registered members of the women group were present for the two day event that was facilitated by OPRD gender officer. The women group present was a mixture of both host and IDP communities living in Kapoeta North. During the workshop discussion with this group on the needs of women in this County, it came out that the women wanted a number of issues addressed and at some point it become difficult for them to priories as they felt that some of these needs were equally important to them. Finally, the the women from Kapoeta north prioritized grinding mills that they defended would ease their chores and reduce the distance to be covered if they were to walk on foot to far distant places for the sake of grinding mill.

3. Needs assessment for women group in Kapoeta East County

This was the last needs assessment mission by the OPRD group. In Kapoeta East, the women group that was met proposed a number of activities and narrowed down to small businesses for individuals in form of ‘merry-go-round’ or revolving fund to be managed by OPRD. They mentioned some of the activities that had been mentioned by the former groups in Budi and kapoeta North. This was conducted on the 9th and 10th August 2018 and attended by the 20 women who were part of the women group that had been established earlier on in the project. This women group seemed well organized though it looked like most of them are not educated.

4. Mobilization of cattle youth groups in Budi

This was the first event in this series of cattle camp youths mobilization. It took place in Budi County on the 13th and 14th August where our staffs were taken to meet the heads of the cattle camp boys. They did not meet with the cattle cam youths but only with their heads. The following day 14 th is when they were allowed to meet with the youths of the group. The group met consisted of 30 boys. The meeting started at 10 a.m. and ended at 12.30 p.m. This meeting gave chance for our team to explain directly to the cattle camp youths the concept of the project and gave these youths also a chance to ask all the relevant questions they could be having to clear the cloud that could be on their minds. The youths were very happy and thankful for the chance given to them and considering them to be important for the community function. They said that at last they have been regarded as important group within the community.

5. Mobilization of cattle youth groups in Kapoeta East

This was the second mobilization among the cattle camp youths that took place on the 16th and 17th August in Kapoeta East where our staffs met and discussed with the cattle camp youths on the need for them to cooperate with the rest of the community representatives including the local authorities and coordinate their activities in consultation with the County authorities for the sake of peace within the community and their neighbouring communities. This, they were told will ensure that their

interests are aligned to the community interests and coordinated to be well understood. They were informed that it was important for the cattle camp youths to involve themselves and participate fully in the community meetings and activities as this is part of their project where they need to take part in.

6. Formation of psychosocial support groups

During the same month of August in the Counties of Budi, Kapoeta East and Kapoeta North, OPRD managed to form Psychosocial support group by selecting 10 women and five youths from each of these Counties for training on Psychosocial support. This is aimed at creating a PSS services delivery within the locality that will be conducting these services at the designated locations in the Women and girls friendly spaces and also in other community support structures within the community. As part of the training the participants were introduced to Counselling techniques and the stages that involve a lot on mental health services in the community. The issues of registration and procedures involved in psychosocial support plus the confidentiality were discussed at length with participants given time to show their understanding of the subject. This was in preparation for the services that they will be rendering to the community members in the near future. The training in Budi took place on the 21st and 22nd August 2018. The training for Kapoeta North was done on 27th and 28th August 2018

Any issues/challenges faced during the month How were the challenges addressed/planned actions to address the challenges

During cattle camp youths mobilization exercises in the three Counties, OPRD project team was faced with poor accessibility due to heavy rains that have destroyed the roads. In one incident, our vehicles could not cross the rivers easily leading to the drowning of some people including our field driver. In totsl 8 people were killed. In Kapoeta North.

We have since advised our staffs that life is the most important thing and that they should not compromise any state that would destroy life. They have been told to prioritize human security and this should be paramount even if it means delaying the work.

Insecurity in Eastern Kapoeta following the Murle attack of the Jie community.

OPRD staffs were not caught up in the fighting since they went to the settlement location and not the battle field. All the interventions are being done in Kassengor.

Economically there were higher prices of commodities due to inflation initially and consequently the sharp fluctuations of the South Sudanese pounds in the local

We only bought what was affordable and realistic for our activities. The price variations will be seen in the financial report where some line have spent over

markets; and this has worsened the situation in the states in terms of prices especially around the border towns.

100%.

Poor communications at times hampered our communications with our head office in Juba and other field offices like was the case in Kapoeta.

We basically rely on the internet as the only means of communication apart from Thuraya phones that are very expensive to operate. Zain s off and on the networks.

Mobilization of the camp Youth in Kapoeta East

Kral leader briefing the warriors on the range of peace activities to come between them and Budi County

An elder addressed the youth to abstain from cattle rustling in Kapoeta North County