Beyond Survival: How Displaced South Sudanese Women Are Rebuilding Local Economies
In the conflict-scarred town of Tambura in South Sudan’s Western Equatoria State, displaced women are moving beyond basic survival to become the economic engines of their fractured communities. Equipped with new vocational skills and raw determination, these female entrepreneurs are forging pathways to financial independence. Their resilience highlights a broader continental reality: across Africa’s conflict zones, post-war recovery and social stability are increasingly driven by women.
For six years, Jackline Moses has lived in a temporary tent after violence forced her to flee her home. The chaos of the conflict left her separated from her husband and relatives, burdened by the traumatic memories of a journey where she witnessed the deaths of a mother and her four children. Yet, amid the prolonged displacement that defines life for millions in the region, she has refused to remain idle.
Through vocational training supported by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), Jackline mastered shoemaking. Today, she transforms discarded materials into footwear for the local market, earning up to 40,000 South Sudanese pounds per pair on a good day. This income is not merely a wage; it is a lifeline that secures food and education for her children while granting her dignity and autonomy in a setting that often strips both away.
This micro-economy in Tambura mirrors a continent-wide shift. From the Great Lakes region to the Horn of Africa, when formal economies collapse under the weight of armed conflict, it is informal, female-led enterprises that sustain households. Women like Julie Bii, who turned UNMISS catering training and start-up utensils into a thriving local restaurant, are creating vital market linkages. By processing local livestock—slaughtering a goat a day to feed her growing customer base—Julie stimulates agricultural demand and provides nutrition, proving that targeted skills training yields dividends that ripple outward through the local economy.
However, economic resilience is only a temporary bridge. As Julie notes, while the daily income keeps her family afloat in her husband’s absence, the ultimate desire remains a peaceful return to their ancestral land. Livelihood programs can mitigate the immediate harshness of displacement, but they cannot replace the foundational security required for long-term prosperity.
This dynamic is reshaping how international institutions and local governments approach peacebuilding. Njoki Kinyanjui, the UNMISS Head of Yambio Field Office, observes that women in Tambura are no longer just beneficiaries of aid; they are stepping into active leadership roles in conflict resolution and economic planning. The mission’s integrated approach—combining the physical protection of civilians with targeted economic empowerment—demonstrates that peace is sustained not just by signed treaties, but by functioning local markets.
As South Sudan navigates its complex political transition, the ingenuity of its displaced women offers a blueprint for recovery. Regional policymakers and international investors must recognize that funding female micro-entrepreneurs is not a charitable side-project, but a core strategy for stabilizing fragile regions.
The focus must now shift toward securing the durable peace agreements necessary for safe repatriation. Until the guns remain permanently silent and the roads home are secure, the women of Tambura will continue to stitch their communities back together, one pair of shoes and one meal at a time.
