Technical Supporting for Repatriation and Rehabilitation and Technical Training Young Returnees for Reconstruction of South Sudan

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Project Background

In 2005, the over two-decade long conflict between Government Army of Sudan and SPLA finally ceased and they concluded the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) so that they could search for a new form of the Republic of Sudan. During the long civil war, it is said that about 500,000 refugees flooded over the border, while more than 4 million people fled internally from their hometowns. Many international organizations includ-ing UNHCR had already repatriated about 300,000 refugees by the end of 2008. They are still working hard to send the remaining 50,000 refugees back home in 2009.

In South Sudan, under the initiative of the autonomous government, the Government of South Sudan (GoSS), they are trying to make a new framework for the society. However infrastructure such as roads, bridges, wells, water supplies, sewage systems and electricity are still under construction, and medical services, education and police systems are far from functioning efficiently. Thus the living conditions of the returnees are not safe and stable. Considering these situations, UN agencies and other NGOs are still continuing their support, and JVC will also continue to provide logistical support.

Summary of activities

1. Car-Maintenance Project as Logistic Support (Juba, South Sudan)

We have been assisting in the maintenance of the vehicles of UNHCR, GoSS, and other organizations used in the repatriation program. The aim of our project is to keep the vehicles in good condition so that there is no delay in the repatriation process. We are expanding our coverage to the vehicles used by the UN and other NGOs that are helping for recon-struction and rehabilitation. Our technical skills and services are highly appreciated among them.

2008 Annual Report

We continued to give support through inspections, maintenance and vehicle repairs for groups including the UNHCR and GoSS for use with their repatriation and rehabilitation programs. The number of the ve-hicles we serviced went up to 50 a month on average, as the JVC workshop began to run more effectively than before and our working system greatly improved.

Now we also accept vehicles used for reconstruction and rehabilitation, such as activities involving schooling, demining, and the constructing wells and other water supply systems. Those vehicles often required difficult technical work because they were driven on local rough roads everywhere. All vehicles brought to the JVC workshop were returned back to the frontline of their project site in good, working condition.

2009 Annual Plan

This project started in 2006 will come to the end in 2009. After the project completion at the end of this year, our partner, the Sudan Church Committee (SCC) will operate the workshop, since SCC was the original owner. SCC hopes to continue this project to contribute to the ongoing reconstruction of South Sudan. his project started in 2006 will come to the end in 2009. After the project completion at the end of this year, our partner, the Sudan Church Committee (SCC) will operate the workshop, since SCC was the original owner. SCC hopes to continue this project to contribute to the ongoing reconstruction of South Sudan.

2. Engineering Training for Young Returnees

We accepted young Sudanese returnees as trainees in our workshop and have trained them to be valuable human resources in the establishment of their new country. We believe that the indispensable knowledge and skills of vehicle maintenance they acquired must be significant for the future development of the country.

2008 Annual Report

14 Sudanese nationals completed our car mechan-ics course at the end of 2008 and gained jobs in their home country. 8 graduates got jobs relating to ve-hicle business despite the fact that finding jobs in Sudan is extremely difficult.

In 2009, JVC started the 2nd term training course for 20 trainees including Sudanese girls and Ethiopian refugees. We expect all of them will contribute to their societies when they go back to their homeland after 1 year.

2009 Annual Plan

The second term of the training program will be completed by the end of 2009. Therefore, we se-lected those who already had some experience in car-maintenance so we could give them further intensive training. We believe they will become experts in car maintenance after they complete our training program.