Japan Avails $ 21 Million To Support The Poor

This article was last updated on May 25, 2022

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The four-year donation has an objective to provide access to income opportunities and temporary employment to the poor and vulnerable, the Eastern Equatoria State Labour, Public Service and Human Resource Development Minister Lorika Stella Brenda told Gurtong.

The government of South Sudan in collaboration with state governments will be implementing the Safety Nets and Skill Development Project (SNSDP).

The minister registered appreciation to the World Bank for its financial commitment saying she is so grateful because the poor will now benefit as she urges them to get prepared to appropriately and profitably receive the package for business start-up.

Speaking to Gurtong on Tuesday in Torit, the National Director General of Vocational Training in the National Ministry of Labour, Public Service and Human Resource Development clarified that the Safety Nets and skill development project aims at benefiting 25,000 poor households in the next three to four years.

He added that out of the targeted 25,000 poor households, 21,500 and 3,500 beneficiaries will benefit the program through public works and skills development in the next three years.

The project covers four states namely Jonglei (Bor and Ayod Counties), Warrap (Gogrial West and Tonj South Counties), Eastern Equatoria (Torit and Kapoeta East Counties) and Central Equatoria (Juba), revealed the World Bank representative Naotaka Sawada who accompanied the National Director General of Vocational Training in the National Ministry of Labour, Public Service and Human Resource Development.

He elaborated that the project has three components, the first being social protection system and project management that will provide support to government to develop a social protection policy and necessary implementation and coordination capacity.

While the second component which is public works, will provide income for youth and women from poor households through a seasonal transfer, linked to participation in public works, in order to increase and sustain household assets and smooth consumption during lean seasons, the third component according to Sawada, is skills development, will provide rural and urban poor youth males as well as females whose ages lie between 18 and 30 years belonging to vulnerable households with access to livelihood opportunities through comprehensive skills development training comprised of technical, entrepreneurship and life skills.

Officials clarified that the South Sudan Development Plan (SSDP) 2011-2013, identifies the importance of social protection in the achievement of the country’s development objectives under its social and human development pillar saying this project is the first social protection intervention to be implemented by the national government.

They revealed that the project is directly related to South Sudan Interim Strategy Note (ISN) for financial year 2013/2014 which focuses on helping the country move forward from fragility to stability.

Implementing Ministries
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Irrigation, Cooperatives and Rural Development (MoAFCRD) is the lead Ministry for implementation.

While the Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare, would coordinate the social protection policy development, MoAFCRD would lead the coronation of public works and the Ministry of Labour, Public Service and Human Resource Development would support the skills development.

At the national level, a project steering committee (PSC) chaired by the National Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning would provide overall guidance.

The MoAFCRD would have overall fiduciary and project management responsibilities and manage and coordinate this project in a professional manner.

A technical support team will be established within the MoAFCRD at the national level to be staffed with a team of consultants as well as government assigned personnel.

The project locations were selected through a consultative process with government at both national and state levels in collaboration with key stakeholders.