Mapping/Capacity Assessment of Local Organizations involved in Community Driven Development/Recovery (CDD/CDR) in Southern Sudan

Prepared By: David Okello (report)

Alfred Oling (database)

The Upper Nile State is one of the ten states of Southern Sudan situated on the North Eastern side of the country with a total area of 77,773km2 and an estimated population of 1,300,000 people. The state is made up of ten counties which include: Fashoda, Manyo, Maban, Panyikang, Malakal, Ulang, Longchuk, Maiwut and Baliet County. The dominant tribe is the Shilluk followed by minority tribes like the Nuer, Dinka, Arabs and the Bari speaking groups.

 

Upper Nile Region is among the regions that bore the greatest burden during Sudan’s prolonged civil war. The region has for a long time been home to most of the militia groups operating in the South. Due to the presence and activities of militias, the very harsh environmental situation, and the proximity to the dominating cultural and military population of the North, the Upper Nile region of Southern Sudan is one of the most marginalized and devastated regions of Southern Sudan. The region saw an increase in presence of humanitarian agencies only in 2006 before which there used to be very few NGOs operating in this region.

 

The development of organizations and civil society organizations/community based organizations (CBOs) can be traced way back to the 1980s. Early 1983 the SPLA/M political upheaval started in Jonglei state; many people were conscripted into the army while the soldiers went almost without food, basic needs and medical care. Due to these circumstances arose the need for local (indigenous) people and sympathizers to mobilize food and medical facilities to support their children in the war zones. Women took the lead in mobilising these items such as dried okra, Kesira, dried salt. As time went by women began to think of new roles they can play in the development of their community.

 

Following the signing of the CPA, Upper Nile State became a major point for return by thousands of individuals and families returning home after years of violent conflict in these areas. A large percentage of those displaced during the protracted war formed a large component of those returning, together with refugees returning from Ethiopia and other countries. Traditionally, communities welcome returnees and share all resources and even individual belongings. The problem is this “culture of sharing” results in increased vulnerability of host communities to food shortages, lack of income and, in general, access to weak public services that have become even more overstretched. Such influxes have been completely overwhelming the local populace, making protection and delivery of social services the major priorities in state development. Moreover, due to a lack of resources from the semi-autonomous government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) to provide adequate services, many of the local populace who had been in exile and got an opportunity to learn, have used their new found knowledge and skills to mobilise resources, both locally or from friends abroad, to provide services for the people. 

 

This is how many of the CBOs/indigenous organizations in Upper Nile State have originated. A number of CBOs, civil society organizations such as charity organizations, community groups, women's organizations, faith-based organizations, professional associations, trades unions, self-help groups, social movements, business associations, coalitions and advocacy groups sprung up rapidly between 2004 and 2006 in the state. In general, the capacity levels and access to funding by a much larger group of local organizations in Upper Nile is much better as compared to Jonglei, for instance. This is largely due to a presence of a critical mass of INGOs providing institutional strengthening support and funding.

Role