“I used the money I received to establish my own small hair salon. Now, instead of constantly searching for customers, they come to me; I now earn around 5000 South Sudanese pounds (5 dollars) compared to the 1000 SSP (1 dollar) I used to make. It has been a huge shift. My children attend school now uninterruptedly, we have enough food, and I can assist my niece with her school needs”, Rose states with a heartfelt smile.
By Malish Obede, JF-CPiE Child protection officer in Juba.
In the heart of Juba City, nestled in the slums of Munuki Payam, lives Rose, a 30- year-old mother of four. Her husband, a soldier stationed in the Upper Nile region, rarely returns home, leaving Rose to shoulder the responsibility of caring for their children.
With each passing day, Rose’s struggles could intensify as the rainy season begins and floods engulf the streets of Munuki, making it difficult to navigate and increasing child protection risks such as rape, early marriage, forced marriage, domestic violence, and malaria.
Determined to provide for her family, Rose tried her hand at various means of income generation. She sold charcoal, washed clothes, and plaited women’s hair in their residential area. However, these efforts were often fruitless, as there were no clothes to wash or women to plait.
At times, Rose faced scarcity in her income-generating opportunities, with shortages of laundry to tend, charcoal to vend, and clientele for hairstyling, creating significant hurdles in affording basic necessities such as food, educational expenses, and menstrual pads for her adolescent niece, who is under her care due to her uncle’s passing.
“I often find myself sleeping on an empty stomach, unable to afford even a meal. There are days when I cannot find any clothes to wash or clients to braid their hair. The constant stress overwhelms me, leaving me in despair. I have entered my room and shed tears”, Rose stated.
The emotional and psychological toll of her circumstances left Rose distressed and unstable. She beat her children and neighbours, blaming them for her predicament. However, all that changed when Rose entered Joining Forces for Child Protection in Emergencies (JF-CPIE) project.
“Because of the overwhelming stress, there were moments when I ended up lashing out at my children, resorting to physical violence, and hurling hurtful insults over even minor mistakes. If our neighbours dared to intervene, I redirected my anger towards them, engaging in intense arguments. At that time, I saw everyone around me as the cause of my problems,” Rose painfully revealed.
Two of Rose’s children and her late uncle’s daughter received essential items such as mattresses, mosquito nets, shoes, clothes, and dignity kits.
The project also provided Rose with NFIs and cash assistance, which she used to open a small hair salon near her house.
Ever since then, her newfound source of income has transformed her life, as she no longer has to move from place to place in search of customers.
She now generates a steady income of 500 South Sudanese pounds (equivalent to $5) or more per day compared to the meagre 1000 South Sudanese pounds ($1) she used to earn before.
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This publication was produced with the financial support of the German Humanitarian Assistance
Its contents are the sole responsibility of Joining Forces and do not necessarily reflect the views of the German Humanitarian Assistance.