South Sudan
The recently-formed Republic of South Sudan’s is an exciting opportunity for VSO volunteers to work with new institutions and help to build South Sudan’s infrastructure.
Working closely with the UK’s Department of International Development and the Government of South Sudan, VSO has developed a programme to support the development of health and education services to help support the progress of civil society.
VSO will be working in the following areas:
Education
With 51% of the population under 18 years-old, South Sudan needs support to build and strengthen its education system. Currently only 27% of the population over 15 years old is literate (40% male, 16% female) and only 37% of the population over six have ever attended school - well below the indicators to meet the Millennium Development Goal in education. There is also an urgent need to improve the quality of teacher training and the number of qualified teachers (particularly women teachers).
Working with local partners, VSO volunteers will work to improve the quality of training at pre-service and in-service teacher training institutions. They will help to mentor teachers and implement more child-centred methodology to the curriculum. We’ll also place volunteers at national and regional levels to improve school inspection systems and increase the number of girls attending school.
Interested in volunteering in South Sudan? Register your interest now.
Healthcare
There is a severe shortage of qualified healthcare workers in South Sudan. To help tackle this problem, VSO will be working with the Department of Human Resources Development (DHRD) to support nurse training institutions. Our volunteers will work in the areas of management and clinical training. DHRD is keen for VSO volunteers to contribute to developing the planning, management and human resource structures within national, regional and local health services.
South Sudan has one of the worst maternal mortality rates in the world. For every 100,000 live births, 2,054 women die. This is due to a shortage of skilled birth attendants, poorly equipped healthcare facilities and a cultural preference for home deliveries. VSO health programme will also focus on maternal and reproductive health.
Interested in volunteering in South Sudan? Register your interest now.
Governance and civil society
For South Sudan to move towards a stable democracy, it will need to have an active civil society. This is so organisations and groups that are distinct from the state will be able to hold the Government to account. Currently, there are few fully functioning non-government organisations or civil society organisations in South Sudan. VSO willwork with the Government to establish mechanisms to ensure marginalised communities engage with the state and get their voices heard.
Interested in volunteering in South Sudan? Register your interest now.
Where we will work
VSO volunteers will be based in the Western Bahr El Ghazal, Lakes, Eastern Western and Central Equatoria regions. We’re working in these regions to ensure we can manage our volunteers’ safety and security. We'll avoid areas with conflict until peace can be established.
