Grassroots Voices Seek High-Level Ear
At a small gathering in Juba, Central Equatoria Women’s Union chair Veronica Juan Laku painted a vivid portrait of daily labour, from predawn water runs to late-night market stalls.
She urged state officials to connect the Union with First Lady Mary Ayen Mayardit, insisting that direct dialogue would transform whispered grievances into actionable policy.
Enterprise Fund Still Awaiting Parliament
The Women Enterprise Fund, announced in 2018, remains off the parliamentary agenda, a delay the Union calls economically painful rather than political.
Leaders argue that even modest seed capital could multiply household incomes and cushion children from hunger, framing the fund as social investment, not charity.
Economic Stakes for Families Nationwide
Across markets, women juggle trays of peanuts, cups of tea and jerrycans of water, generating what they call “small small business” to keep school fees paid.
With prices rising and jobs scarce, every coin counts; an official programme, advocates say, would formalise micro-entrepreneurship and widen tax bases in the long run.
First Lady Seen as Catalyst for Change
Union members request at least two visits a year from the First Lady, believing her presence can galvanise bureaucrats and donors alike.
“We need the mother of the nation to hear us face to face,” Laku told Eye Radio, a sentiment echoed by Sisilia Laku, Zeinab Osman, Arafa Juma and Grace Meling.
Women’s Union Vision Beyond Aid
The Union’s charter prioritises training, civic education and cooperative saving schemes that lift communities sustainably.
By linking local resilience to national stability, the leaders remind government that women who supported liberation still shoulder reconstruction, deserving resources to stand equally in today’s economy.