Africa-Press – South-Sudan. The Whitaker Peace and Development Initiative (WPDI), with support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), has disbursed $15,000 to six business groups at the Gorom settlement in Juba County.
The funds aim to bolster small-scale entrepreneurship among refugees, particularly women.
The handover ceremony took place on Friday, 11 July 2025, following a five-day business training facilitated by WPDI for 60 refugee participants. The group included women and men from Sudan, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The training covered key areas such as entrepreneurship, financial management, group work, and cooperative enterprise development.
Speaking during the event, Bush Buse, a representative of WPDI, said:
“Today, we are presenting you with a cheque worth 15,000 US dollars for the 60 participants, divided into six groups.
“Each group consists of 10 members, either all women or mixed. Twenty percent of the participants are men, and the group also includes Ethiopians and Congolese who will benefit from this initiative,” he added.
Each group received $2,500 as startup capital.
The funds serve as both business grants and revolving loans, designed to help groups either expand existing enterprises or start new ones.
According to WPDI, the initiative is especially geared toward empowering women and vulnerable populations in displacement settings.
Refugee participants expressed appreciation during the ceremony, many sharing emotional testimonies.
Mariam Abduallah, speaking on behalf of the participants, said: “I thank the Whitaker organization because it is a good organization that thought of supporting women through business. I also want to thank our teachers and moderators who stayed with us over the past three days and guided us through the training.
“We now understand how to do business, how to start, how to compete, and how to deal with customers. Learning how to do business helps us understand many things about life.”
Ammar Adam, a refugee from Sudan, also shared his experience:
“We came here after going through hardship, having lost many things in Sudan. But the government of South Sudan stood with us, and so did the organizations — they did not let us down. They taught us about trade, its risks, and how to become a trader.
“They showed us how to move from our current level to a better one so that we can support ourselves and our families. They gave us training courses that we benefited from here and will continue to benefit from in the future.
“They provided us with things we never expected, and thanks to them, we learned so many things we didn’t know before. We are truly grateful and thank them sincerely.”
Another Sudanese refugee, Safah, said she now feels empowered to pursue her business idea:
“I am grateful to Whitaker for giving us the capital. This money is a loan that we have taken, so I will look for a good business so that the money is not lost and I can benefit from it and return the capital I took.
“Currently, I have a business idea and want to start, but I lack capital and knowledge. But now, with this funding and the training we received, I thank God that I will use it for my business, grow, and succeed in my life. I also wish to get more support, not only material but emotional support as well.”
Josephine Ochalla, an Ethiopian refugee residing in the Gorom settlement, also voiced her appreciation:
“I would like to thank your organization, is not bad to take the loan, like for I have a tea selling place, it will be good to boost my business and look for ways to make money and return the capital I took from the loan.”
WPDI, founded by Hollywood actor and UNESCO Special Envoy for Peace Forest Whitaker, has been operational in South Sudan since 2012.
The organization focuses on peace-building, education, and building community resilience.
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