JUBA, South Sudan, 18 November 2024 -/African Media Agency(AMA)/- Cecilia Kiden Isaac, a 51-year-old educator in Juba, is passionate about empowering her community through education.
At a recent outreach event organized by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), in collaboration with the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (R-JMEC) and the Ceasefire & Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring & Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM), she highlighted the urgent need to raise awareness among citizens about a variety of issues affecting their lives.
“After today’s session, I feel much better informed about some of the critical challenges our country is currently facing,” she said.
Held at St. Thomas Deanery in Munuki, a neighbourhood in the capital, the grassroots engagement happening attracted more than 60 residents, including elders, clergymen, and youth. They turned up to learn more about the status of the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement, the constitution-making process, and in what ways the peacekeeping mission and the UN family contribute to developments.
Ms. Isaac grasps the importance of civic engagement, including citizens’ participation in elections.
“Indifference to or a lack of knowledge about makes it possible for politicians to avoid accountability,” she stated, adding that local leaders, not least those of faith-based organizations, have an important role to play when it comes to keeping community members aware of what is going on.
UNMISS Political Affairs Officer Garang Yach James Akot agreed with her, pointing out that churches often have an unfulfilled potential to be more powerful institutions stakeholders in South Sudanese society.
“Many of their leaders, like their congregations, lack information on key issues, which means that people who receive most of their news during church activities don’t get the knowledge they need to effectively influence decisions that are relevant to them,” he opined.
During the event, held under the theme “Building a Better Future Together,” participants discussed and asked questions about a wide variety of topics, including the future of the transitional government, civil society participation in implementing the peace agreement, and the importance of being able to hold political leaders accountable.
“Understanding national issues is a must to make informed decisions. Our initiatives to connect with people at the grassroots level go beyond raising awareness; they aim to empower communities to understand and voice their concerns,” said Reuben Inaju, Head of the UNMISS Community Outreach Unit.
Energized and equipped with facts, Cecilia Kiden Isaac is now ready to share new insights with her young learners, hoping to prove that education can make a real difference also in South Sudan.
Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of UNMISS.
