The 2020–2021 UNITAR Building Bridges: Entrepreneurship and Project Planning in South Sudan Programme came to an end in October 2021, with close to 100 participants completing the course. Supported by Government of Japan, the programme trained young professionals on entrepreneurship, project management and leadership. It sought to empower South Sudanese youth to help reconstruct and develop their country as it emerges from decades of conflict.
Through a self-paced online course, participants learned the basics of entrepreneurship including project planning, organizational needs assessments, and environmental analysis, as well as project implementation, and leadership.
Two alumnae, Tabu Elder and Baria Johnson Kibo, are already putting these lessons to use – Tabu is teaching these skills to start-up entrepreneurs and local businesses while planning her own community project pertaining to water, sanitation and hygiene. Meanwhile, Baria conducted a needs assessment at her workplace, Radio Bakhita, to improve the operations of the radio station.
Because the COVID-19 pandemic made in-person learning unsuitable, this round of the programme was run entirely online. Because the internet in South Sudan is unstable and costly, UNITAR Division of Prosperity provided SIM cards with internet bundles to learners and coaches, so that participants could complete their online learning.