EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Secretariat of PASS in consultation with Managers and Stakeholders developed this operational plan for organizational development, the activities, objectives and goals that will enhance this development as well as ways of addressing the challenge of the future. This cause of action takes into account our external and internal environment with a view to help PASS define its purpose, what it intends to become, and how it will attain its goals. This operational plan is a tool that will not only develop direction, but also create a picture definition of what success should look like for PASS.
The plan outlines how PASS will continue to build onto its promise for an empowered community, aspiring for self-reliance in ways that are sustainable and a reflection of our target beneficiaries needs. The strategic interventions of PASS will be mainly on the development and strengthening of PASS as an organization, its networks and partners with a view to expand our impact throughout South Sudan.
The planning process appreciates the operating environment of South Sudan and determines the strategic niche of PASS while guiding thoughts and shaping actions.
With a vision to envisage a Peaceful Country without discrimination and ethnic marginalization, PASS has put into place strategic actions and directions which will guide this realization in 12 months. PASS has designed interventions based on communities felt needs. Our programming includes;
1) Peace Building and Reconciliation,
2) Education
3) Water, Sanitation and Hygiene,
4) Community Empowerment,
5) Child Protection and Gender Based Violence,
6) Food Security and Livelihoods
7) Health and Nutrition.
The successful implementation of this operational plan calls for immense resources, commitment and hard work from the PASS fraternity. Therefore, the PASS leadership takes this opportunity to call upon other stakeholders with similar objectives, the government and its agencies, donors and friends to join in this noble pursuit of empowering the vulnerable communities in the selected States of Greater Upper Nile, Greater Equatoria and Greater Bharelgazel region respectively.
CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS
Following the referendum of January 2011, South Sudan became an independent country on July 9, 2011. The new government un-doubtedly faces daunting challenges ahead in a context of complex social and economic problems at the back of weak institutions and lingering social tensions. Before secession, Sudan is one of the few African countries where household surveys at a national level were not conducted for over three decades, at least since 1978. As a result, very little was known on the state of poverty, income distribution and labor markets.
The National Baseline Household Survey (NBHS) conducted in 2009 opened the door for a better understanding of the causes, magnitude and consequences of poverty and inequality in South Sudan. Based on a descriptive analysis of the data and use of the traditional poverty analysis tools (Foster, Greerand Thorbecke (1984) class of poverty indices, Kernel density estimates and Gini coefficients), this brief provides a preliminary assessment of poverty, inequality and labor market conditions prevailing in Southern Sudan. It also provides some projections on the devolution of poverty under different assumptions on growth patterns in the next decade and delivery of basic social services using benefit incidence curves.
- Basic Facts on Socio-Economic Conditions in South Sudan, the NBHS is a nationally representative survey based on about 5,000 households in the Southern States. The demographic characteristics of South Sudan are typical of a poor developing economy: a large labor force (about 50% of the population is aged between 15-64), and households in which there is at least one dependent person for every able bodied person; large family size, average of eight members, where close to 70% of the heads of households have never been to school. Access to basic social services is also extremely low with only 24% of the total population living in areas close to basic health care centers. Subsistence agriculture and informal employment are dominant sources of livelihood. Close to 42 per-cent of the working population is engaged in agriculture, 56 percent in the services sector, and very few employees find work in the industry sector (2.4%)
Labor market conditions in South Sudan are precarious. Adding the inactive population and the unemployed population as a percentage of the total working age population indicates that 73% of the South Sudanese aged 15-65 are not working. The rate of unemployment that is the unemployed population as a percentage of the active population, is about 11.5% (10.8% for men and 12.2% for women). The army of young men either inactive or unemployed could be a source of social unrest and instability in South Sudan. Lack of employment opportunities is one of the causes of poverty in South Sudan. Women in South Sudan, as in other poor regions, have lower labor market participation rates compared to their male counterparts and even among those employed, most are unpaid family workers.
Poverty prospects in South Sudan
According to the Southern Sudan Commission for Census Statistics and Evaluation (2010), individuals whose monthly consumption expenditure falls below 74 SSP (South Sudanese Pounds) are considered to be living in absolute poverty. By that measure, half of the total population in the South is considered to be extremely poor.
Considering the fact that per capita GDP doubled in the last decade following the discovery of oil in the country, it is remarkable how little effect growth has had in reducing poverty. Not only is poverty widespread in South Sudan, it is also so deeply entrenched that the average per-capita monthly consumption expenditure of the poor population is 48% lower than the official poverty line, suggesting that most poor people are extremely deprived. More than 92% of overall poverty is attributed to conditions in rural areas (agricultural subsistence activities, low access to health and education services and weak infrastructure). Close to 81% of poverty is due to low earnings by household heads with no education. Thus, focusing on farm productivity and education emerge as policy priorities.
Female-headed households have a poverty incidence that is 9 percentage points higher than male-headed households and at all levels of income females earn lower income than their male counterparts. Finally, poverty affects the geographic regions of South Sudan.
The headcount ranges from 26% in Upper Nile to 76% in Northern Bahr Al-Ghazal. South Sudan has also a skewed income distribution. Estimated from the
NBHS data, the Gini coefficient is 45.5% in South Sudan, which is slightly higher than the Sub Saharan Africa average (42% in 2009). The macroeconomic framework that is put in place essentially determines to a large extent the degree to which economic growth has an impact on poverty.
Education as a Key Issue
The level of education in South Sudan is a concern. Protracted conflict and decades of negligence by the central government has left an entire generation without basic education. From the household survey, it is clear that close to 91% of the population have less than a primary level education. More than 70% of the population cannot read or write. The condition of women is even worse where at every educational level; they tend to be under-represented. Educational status of households is a robust indicator of differences in poverty levels. It is clear that poverty conditions vary considerably by the level of education attained by household heads regardless of which poverty line one uses. The variance in poverty levels between household heads who completed post-secondary education and those with no education is a remarkable 45 percentage points. The role of education in paving the way out of poverty cannot be overemphasized. The question facing policy makers in South Sudan is the social cost or equity implications of providing education at different levels using government subsidies as it is the case in most African countries.
OUR PREVIOUSLY FUNDED PROJECT ACTIVITIES.
Table 1. Our clients for previously funded project
| S/N | Organization | Date of the project | Nature of the project | Contact person |
| 1. | Deutsche Gesellschaft fuer Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH GIZ | The project was funded for a 3 Months period between 15Th Aug- 15Th Nov 2018 | Conflict transformation public participation project in the areas of Duk County (Ageer Dongchak, Padiet Panyang, and Payuel Payams) Jonglei state
Ayod County (Kuacdeng, Gorwai, Wau and Mogok Payams) Jonglei state |
James Kai
Local Team GIZ South Sudan Tel: 0916156426Email: james.maker@giz.de |
| 2. | Finn Church Aid | The project was implemented in Old Fangak 13Th Feb 2019 and in New Fangak the on 19/2/2019 | PASS facilitated the organisation of Peace conference in Old and New Fangak | Abukaya Yonosani Project Officer – TVET+211 921 009 775+211 913 407 114Abukaya.Yonosani@kua.fiSkype Abukaya.YonosaniFCA – Finn Church AidP.O. Box 432, Juba- South Sudankua.fi – finnchurchaid.fi |
| 3. | South Sudan Council of Churches | We have worked with them in implementing a number of projects | EU projects | Alumai Godfrey
Head of Programme, SSCC Tel: 0929155506 Email: godfrey@sscchurches.org |
| 4. | Afri- Project Management Consultant | June 2019 | Development of South Sudan Non Formal Competency based TVET Curriculum. | Bob Odhiambo
Managing Consultant afripmc@gmail.com +211928244888 +254718010044 +252633695892 |
OUR PROGRAMMING THEORIES
PASS uses a number of development intervention projects Programming theories. Key among them are:-
1.1 Theory of Change
Theory of Change, defines long-term goals and then maps backward to identify necessary preconditions. It explains the process of change by outlining causal linkages in an initiative this presented in terms of shorter-term, intermediate, and longer-term outcomes of PASS Interventions. The concept refers to a specific type of methodology for planning, participation, and evaluation that is used in companies, philanthropy, not-for-profit and government sectors to promote social change.
The theory of Change explains the process of change by outlining causal linkages in an initiative. This is done in terms of shorter-term, intermediate, and longer-term outcomes. The identified desired changes are mapped out as the “outcomes pathway” – showing each outcome in logical relationship to all the others, as well as chronological flow. The links between outcomes are explained by “rationales” or statements of why one outcome is thought to be a prerequisite for another.
1.2 Human Rights Based Approach
A Human Rights-Based Approach to development (HRBA) is a practical framework that integrates human rights and dignity into the plans and processes of development. Efforts are made to protect the rights of the poorest and traditionally marginalized. Through this theory PASS teach the vulnerable community members on their social, economic and resilience rights. We will also be training the right holders and right bearers on right for their socio-economic empowerment. A human rights-based approach is a conceptual framework for the process of human development that is normatively based on international human rights standards and operationally directed to promoting and protecting human rights. It seeks to analyze inequalities which lie at the heart of development problems and redress discriminatory practices and unjust distributions of power that impede development progress. This will be done in the context of South Sudan targeted vulnerable groups participating in our resilience building programs.
Rights-based approach to development is an approach to development has been promoted by many development agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to achieve a positive transformation of power relations among the various development actors. This practice blurs the distinction between human rights and economic development. There are two stakeholder groups in rights-based development—the rights holders (who do not experience full rights) in this case the vulnerable communities of South Sudan and the duty bearers (the institutions obligated to fulfil the holders’ rights) in this case the government, men and traditional authority leadership. The rights-based approaches aim at strengthening the capacity of duty bearers and empower the rights holders.
1.3 Self Help Group approach
Community empowerment is always considered as the key aspect of social development throughout the world. Self Help Group is one of the most important approaches for community empowerment and resilience building in developing countries and especially post conflict countries such as South Sudan. PASS intends to use Self Help Group concept in promoting community empowerment in South Sudan. PASS intends to use the four dimensions of community empowerment namely the personal autonomy index, family decision making index, domestic economic participation index and political autonomy index as well as aggregate empowerment index. Globally Self Help Group approach has had a significant impact on community empowerment and resilience building. PASS intends to use this concept to empower women of South Sudan both socially and economically.
Community SHG programs have given opportunities to all categories of the community members to participate in decision-making activities, particularly in economic and political field at village-level. It makes them partner of development, particularly in rural development. Many developing and post conflict countries such as South Sudan need to follow this model for their rural development. The concept builds capacity among the members of the community and make them active partner of development process. PASS will use this approach in ensuring that conflict affected South Sudanese communities actively gets engaged in resilience building activities.
1.4 Graduation Approach
The graduation approach combines elements of social protection, livelihood development and access to finance to move highly vulnerable households into sustainable livelihoods and economic stability. Rigorous evaluations of graduation approaches show positive sustained impacts on economic growth and household welfare. PASS intends to use this approach to build resilience of South Sudan communities wherever they are in South Sudan or within the neighboring countries.
1.5 Vulnerability Analysis and Resilience building
This is an array of community-based tools for self-assessment of the degree of need of a person, community and the house hold where the intervention project is to be carried out only those considered to be the vulnerable of the vulnerable are given priority for the development intervention.
1.6 Conflict Sensitive and Gender Sensitive Programming
In our entire program we are conflict and gender sensitive. We endeavor not to engage in any activity that can bring conflict and cause gender relations problems.
Sample of Photos of our past projects
Football tournament (sport for peace) organized in Duk, Approximately 3500 – 4000 viewers attended. The event was widely accepted to replace traditional wrestling games which is seen as a platform of inciting violence by youth, specially the losing side. The project was supported by GIZ
Stakeholders (Drawn from Ayod & Duk) group photo after attending conflict Transformation, Peacebuilding and Peaceful Co-existence training in Duk Padiet (the project was supported by GIZ)
Chiefs, community Elders, Youth, women, Church leaders peace forum in New-Fangak, project supported by SSCC
