Rain Barrel Assignment: South Sudan

Rain Barrel Associate and Project Manager Paula Claycomb spent the month of April 2015 in Juba, South Sudan, providing technical support to the UNICEF Communication for Development (C4D) team in Juba and nine other offices throughout the world's newest country.

Much of UNICEF's programming in South Sudan is focused on lifesaving interventions in health, nutrition, protection, education and water and sanitation. Each of those program areas is complemented by C4D approaches that emphasize community participation and strengthening people's ability to demand basic services.

Paula stepped in during a critical period for the Country Office, providing structure and re-energizing the communication components of such initiatives as peacebuilding education and advocacy, and getting formative research underway about attitudes towards birth registration.

Conflict since December 2013 has displaced over a million people, many of whom remain inside South Sudan's borders but many others have fled to neighboring countries. Release, rehabilitation and non-recruitment of child soldiers have been a major UNICEF priority.

One highlight of her intense, four-week stay was participating in a "showcasing event" organized with UNICEF support by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports. It featured the work of several NGOs in introducing peacebuilding modules into classrooms and out-of-school programs. In the attached clip, children from a school in Juba dance and sing, "Life is about love, unity, laughter and peace."

Congratulations, Paula, on an excellent mission!