‘We have been empowered’ – Young graduates from UNMISS vocational training turn new skills into business opportunities

(Photo Credit: UNMISS)

BOR – For young people living in Bor, opportunities often feel out of reach in a region plagued by conflict, climate shocks, and economic hardship.

But, for more than a 120 young men and women, a quiet revolution has started, driven by new skills and determination.

They have just graduated from series of vocational trainings provided by peacekeepers from South Korea serving with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, ranging from agriculture to plumbing, carpentry and poultry farming.

For Abraham Wal Alier, the four-month journey into poultry farming, has been nothing short of a transformation.

Standing beside a neatly arranged chicken hut, he reflects on how his approach has evolved from traditional practices to a more scientific and structured approach.

“We learned everything from the ground up,” he says. “How to design the structure, how to select breeds, and how to manage chickens at every stage of their life.”

Inside the poultry unit, precision is everything. A clear separation of the birds’ different age groups and needs ensures that newly hatched chicks receive enough warmth to survive their first days when they are still unable to regulate their own body temperatures.

Feeding is equally meticulous. Different growth stages require specific nutritional ratios, as well as carefully administered vitamins and antibiotics through water to prevent diseases.

But perhaps the most striking innovation is the use of light.

By extending daylight hours from 12 to 16 hours using controlled lighting, the chickens’ biological rhythms are influenced to increase egg production, a technique Abraham describes as “light management”.

“It tricks the system,” he says with a smile. “The chickens think it is still daytime, so they continue producing.”

Similarly advanced is the use of hatchery machines, devices that rotate eggs every two hours to ensure even heat distribution, dramatically increasing hatch rates compared to natural brooding.

“These are things we never imagined back home,” Abraham admits. “Now we can produce more, and better.”

For him, the goal is clear: turn poultry farming into a sustainable business that can supply local markets with eggs and meat, reducing reliance on imports.

A few meters away, in the green expanse of the demonstration farm, another group of students is redefining agriculture.

Walking through clearly separated rows of vegetables, tomatoes, eggplants, watermelons, and chilis, Amer Maloch Ajak explains how the training challenged her former approach to farming.

“This is something new,” she explained. “Back home, we just plant anywhere. Here, we learn spacing, planning, and organization.”

The training is conducted in phases from fundamentals such as land preparation, measurement, and soil testing to students assessing pH levels to determine crop suitability.

From there, they move to fertilizer management, learning not only how, but also when, to apply nutrients based on weather conditions, and irrigation.

“It is not just farming, it is science. When I go back, I will teach my community. Agriculture can feed families and create income. People just need the right skills,” emphasizes Amber.

That sense of responsibility is shared by Chol Ajak Thiong, who believes the program is helping to challenge long-held misconceptions.

“Many young people think success only comes from office jobs. But here, we are learning that working with our hands can also build a future.”

Beyond the fields and poultry houses, another transformation is taking place in the carpentry workshop where Ayen Majur works confidently with a drilling machine, challenging gender norms in both sight and practice.

“In the beginning, people doubted me,” she recalls. “They said carpentry is not for women. But I believed in myself.”

Today, she can design and build furniture, including beds and chairs, using both traditional and modern techniques. Safety has also been a key part of her training, especially when working with electrical machines.

Ayen now hopes to inspire other women to follow her path.

“Gender does not define what you can do. Skills are for everyone,” she says firmly.

Back in the poultry unit, Chuol Machar is already thinking like an entrepreneur.

With the experience gained over two years, he understands the economics behind poultry farming from feed quality and water management to disease prevention and production cycles.

As the sun sets over Bor, the training fields grow quiet. But the graduates’ vision of a better future continues to shine.

In a country where unemployment remains a major challenge, programs like this prove that empowerment starts with something as simple as learning how to plant a seed, build a chair or raise a chicken.

By Mach Samuel

Source: https://unmiss.unmissions.org/en/news/we-have-been-empowered-young-graduates-from-unmiss-vocational-training-turn-new-skills