By Hou Akot Hou
The youth executive body in Aweil East County in South Sudan’s Northern Bahr El Gazal State has launched what it dubbed “15 Days of Patriotism,” which began early this week in the main towns of Aweil East County such as Wanyjok Town.
Speaking in an exclusive interview on Sunday evening, Aweil East County’s youth association president Mr. David Adim Maduok, revealed that the 15 Days of Patriotism is meant for a general cleaning campaign to help support the residents in knowing the importance of public health and engaging them as well.
Maduok said the brainchild of the initiative is meant to support the communities living in the rural setting, more specifically those residing in urban centers where the majority of people dwell.
“The brainchild was born by one of our own, known as Alexander Alex or called Kuol Edward Makuach. He is a son of the soil, and when he reached out to us in our office with the initiative, we embraced it and hence told him to carry it on from where he started, as he contributed cash,” said Maduok.
“The idea was welcomed by us as he (Kuol Achol) started the initiative of the 15 Days of Patriotism with 3 million SSP. And we said we could purchase soaps and biscuits, as he also brought with him gloves for the general cleaning,” he noted.
Adim acknowledges the pervasiveness of lack of good-paying jobs, as the majority could not afford to contribute much, but said the youth leadership will carry on the cleaning campaign in towns such as Wanyjok Town, Akuem, and Malualbaai, among others.
He stated that apart from doing the general campaign in what they dubbed as 15 Days of Patriotism, they have begun raising the funds through a fundraising drive in order to help them inaugurate the Youth Leadership Office, which was launched early this year, and also to review the constitution governing the youth leadership.
Maduok said he has executive the Committee in County to work with the other ones in Juba to mobilise funds for the inauguration, which is slated for the 20s this month.
“We are planning to inaugurate the youth leadership body, and by so doing, we need people of goodwill to pay whatever they have, as I have started it off with whatever I have told the executive members in a meeting held with them of late,” he noted.
In a different vein, Adim said the youth body is working to address a barrage of problems facing the youth in the county, such as identifying the pressing needs being faced by youth in the county and the state at large.
“We have begun to address what is most pressing. We have sponsored one of the pupils who is sitting for his primary exams, which are coming, and these initiatives will enable the youth leadership to be recognised for what they are doing,” he said.
The Aweil East youth leaders pledge that they are working around the clock to ensure that the youth leadership bodies are established in the 7 payams.