Education and Youth - A DECADES-LONG PARTNERSHIP: USAID AND THE PEOPLE OF SOUTH SUDAN EDUCATION AND SOUTH SUDANESE YOUTH

Education and Youth GESS Education and Youth A DECADES-LONG PARTNERSHIP: USAID AND THE PEOPLE OF SOUTH SUDAN The partnership between the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the people of South Sudan goes back decades. [...] With few opportunities to earn an education or find employment, young people often fall prey to criminal activity, join armed groups, are the victims of early marriage, and miss critical opportunities to shape the future of their communities and country. [...] From helping youth learn to read and perform basic calculations, to increasing their skills and helping them gain job experience, USAID works with thousands of young women and men so that they can participate constructively in South Sudanese society, build peaceful relationships across communities, and lay the foundation for a more prosperous future. [...] USAID provides 25,000 youth with literacy skills, 7,850 with work experience, and 100,000 with sexual and reproductive health information—critical information often neglected in South Sudan to the detriment of the health and well-being of many South Sudanese. [...] We promote and amplify youths’ voices through radio talk shows and community dialogues; we fund sports teams and events to reinforce the value of teamwork and camaraderie; and we support activities that promote peaceful debate and sharing of ideas.