Maridi: Red Cross equips local vendors with business skills

(radiotamazuj.org)

Local vendors in Maridi County, Western Equatoria State, have expressed their gratitude for a recent five-day business skills training conducted by the Maridi branch of the South Sudan Red Cross.

The training aimed to empower local business owners, enhance their abilities to efficiently manage their businesses, and familiarize them with market opportunities within the county. Participants were drawn from both Yambio and Maridi counties.

Julian Saidu Henry, a local vendor from Yambio town, praised the training for sharpening her business acumen and encouraged youth to join organizations as volunteers to gain essential market research and business planning skills.

She said, “The business skills training that I have undertaken has taught me a lot about market research and how to set up a business plan. I have also learned how to identify my competitors and find key partners as an entrepreneur.”

Another participant, Richard Thomas Baza, a volunteer at the South Sudan Red Cross, Maridi branch, and an entrepreneur, mentioned that before the training, he lacked knowledge about business operations and management.

Now, he confidently stated, “Due to this training, we are now equipped with the know-how to operate and manage our businesses. I can also determine whether the business is making profits or losses.”

David Bidal, the head of the South Sudan Red Cross Maridi branch, explained that the training targeted local vendors in Yambio and Maridi with the aim of improving their business skills. He emphasized that this initiative is part of the organization’s livelihood program, which aims to support locals by imparting essential life skills.

“We have a number of beneficiaries we are supporting under the Food Security and Livelihoods (FSL) project, focusing on livelihood and capacity-building in various skills like masonry, tailoring, and ICT. At the end of this training, participants are provided with startup kits to launch their own businesses,” Bidal further stated.

The South Sudan Red Cross, in partnership with the German Red Cross, is actively implementing various projects across three branches in Western Equatoria State - Yambio, Maridi, and Mundri. These projects encompass Resilient Agriculture Livelihood and Water and Sanitation initiatives, further contributing to the development and well-being of the local communities.