Women empowerment at Gondokoro Island, South Sudan

I fell in love in the lush, green landscape in this island. However we would not be on this island if living conditions were not terrible and heartbreaking. Climate changes comes on the top. 

This women's cooperative has made the biggest impression on me. They are all survivors of gender based violence and unspeakable and unbearable traumas. We support the Women Advancement Organization (WAO) work here through Norwegian People's Aid. There are very few women's cooperative for growing fruit and vegetables since the country has not a long tradition of growing different kinds of vegetables. The main nutrition comes from milk from cattle. Even if early marriage is banned, there is still a strong tradition to sell daughters as young as 8-9 years for marriage to elderly men for a cow or two. Child protection is a big part of this project. 

The women are responsible for all stages from producing seeds, growing, harvesting, transporting and selling the products in Juba. They desperately need a boat, a grinder, a cold shelter - but the community uses the surplus to save lives if any of them become seriously ill and need hospital stay. 

In South Sudan, a life is worth little, and women's lives even less. These women disprove that every day by taking care of each other, being the one who earns income in the family, and by building up agriculture in a country where severe food insecurity affects over 50 percent of the population. 

Traditionally men don't work in the fields, but here they are proud to contribute by cutting down vegetation and digging.   The women have come a long way in just two years!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, STARS AND HEARTS ON YESTERDAY'S BLIP. So much appreciated!