The world newest nation will be celebrating its second Independence anniversary July 9th 2013. During this historic event, I will share this story with you from HopeOfiriha, the small-scale development organization working in Magwi County South Sudan for years.
“We started a new life in a world newest nation” was the answer I heard from the people of South Sudan in Magwi on my arrival. I am here to share in the celebrations for the second anniversary of the African newest nation, and to see how HOPEOFIRIHA can contribute to meet the challenges of this new beautiful landscape – South Sudan. These words are illustrative of the hopes of a new beginning that the dawn of Independence will lead to South Sudan on July 9th, making it the 54th country in Africa, and 6th member of East Africa.
“It was through a variety of ballots and bullets that we have attained our hard-earned independence”, reads one of the many banners hoisted in the center of Magwi County, in preparation for the anniversary on July 9th 2013. The relative peace and development since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005 remains at the forefront Independence. The country and its people have made paid a heavy toll. South Sudan remains one of the poorest countries in the world according to UN index, with around 90 percent of its population living under $1 a day. Jobs are aren’t available, and skills and qualifications are fewer, making it extremely difficult for the huge majority to carve out a living.
Regardless of these challenges, the unbridled optimism of this African newest nation is striking as we took to the streets of Magwi to ask the citizens what Independence meant to them on July 9th when they will be celebrating the second anniversary. “Everything will change now”, explained one business woman, and these sentiments are common to many. While the old Sudan was associated with warfare and suffering, many spoke to their belief that their new -found independence would attract investments in infrastructure, education, health, and industry, and that this would create jobs – and therefore, livelihoods – to the citizens of the new South Sudan.
While there are excitements all around, there are also significant differences in anticipations between the few educated and the vast majority of the poor. The unadulterated joy at Independence apparent amongst the educated citizens of Magwi was not matched among the poorer and less educated HOPEOFIRIHA’s beneficiaries whom we asked similar questions. Their joy was accompanied with some level of anxiety about the physical improvements they would see in their lives. Education, employment, and security were the main priorities that everyone talked about. These remain a critical challenge for any government, especially where the salaries overhead takes a lion’s share.
