By Lodu William Odiya
Women displaced by conflict in Tambura are using vocational skills and small businesses to support their families, rebuild their livelihoods, and regain a measure of independence despite continued uncertainty over their return home.
For some of the women, livelihood activities have become an important source of income after years of displacement, while also helping them cope with the challenges facing their families.
Jackline Moses, who was forced to flee her home six years ago, continues to live in a tent in Tambura. Her husband and several other relatives remain missing after the conflict.
Jackline said the violence she witnessed during her escape left her deeply traumatised, particularly after seeing the bodies of a mother and her four children.
“Since the conflict started, the whereabouts of my husband and other relatives are unknown. A lot of bloodshed happened, and many people died here,” she said.
Through vocational training supported by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), Jackline learned shoemaking, a skill she has turned into a source of income for her family.
She now makes footwear from locally available materials and sells the products in the local market. The earnings help her provide food for her children and pay their school fees.
“On a good market day, sometimes I sell three pairs for between 35,000 and 40,000 South Sudanese pounds each. This helps me to support my family,” she said.
Jackline is among several displaced women in Tambura who have benefited from livelihood support aimed at strengthening household resilience.
Another beneficiary, Julie Bii, received catering training and start-up utensils, which enabled her to establish a restaurant.
With her husband away, Julie said the business has become an important source of income for her household.
“I have customers coming in, and I sometimes slaughter a goat a day. It is really helping me,” she said.
Despite the progress made through their businesses, both women say economic opportunities cannot replace the need for lasting peace.
Julie said prolonged displacement continues to expose families to hardship, with children among those suffering the most.
“We have been suffering for so long, and our children are dying in a way we don’t understand. We want peace for all of us to start returning home,” she said.
The experiences of Jackline and Julie highlight the role of women in helping families and communities recover from conflict. Through small businesses and livelihood activities, displaced women are contributing to household incomes while building greater resilience and independence.
Njoki Kinyanjui, UNMISS Head of Yambio Field Office, said women in Tambura are increasingly taking leadership roles in peacebuilding, conflict resolution, and economic activities.
“Women are taking leadership seriously. They are leading efforts for peace, conflict resolution, and establishing businesses,” Kinyanjui said.
She added that UNMISS has supported communities in Tambura through peacebuilding initiatives and its previous temporary presence in the area, saying the impact of those efforts is becoming increasingly visible.
UNMISS works with communities through an integrated approach that combines protection of civilians, peacebuilding, and support for local resilience, with the aim of preventing tensions from escalating into violence.
For displaced women in Tambura, the new livelihoods provide a way to survive and support their families. However, their ultimate hope remains the same: lasting peace and the opportunity to return safely to their homes.