“What a man can do, a woman can do even better.”
This is the mantra that keeps Sadia Rose William thriving in the male-dominated business landscape of Pibor town, in South Sudan's Greater Pibor Administrative Area.
While most local women earn a living selling charcoal, firewood, or tea, Rose, a mother of six, decided 2022 would be the year that she changed the narrative.
When her employment contract with a humanitarian organization ended due to funding cuts, she didn't view it as a setback. Instead, she saw an opportunity to build something of her own.
“When I became jobless, I did not lose hope. I used my savings to rent a shop and start buying clothes from neighboring Uganda to sell in Pibor town,” she reflected.
Today, Rose is one of only two women running clothing businesses in Pibor, a testament to her determination to break barriers. What began as a single bale of clothes has grown into a flourishing business where she now imports three bales at a time.
Rose’s journey has its own challenges. During a recent visit by a team from the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, she shared both her successes and the obstacles she faces as a female entrepreneur.
“My biggest challenge is transport. Despite a road linking Juba and Pibor, I am forced to rely on expensive commercial flights to move my stock. A single kilogram of luggage costs 18,000 South Sudanese pounds, and one bale weighs 35 kilograms,” Rose explained.
Transporting her goods by air from Juba to Pibor costs over half a million South Sudanese pounds per trip, a figure that goes even higher when factoring in the initial transit from Uganda.
“Insecurity keeps me from using road transport. In 2024, I suffered heavy losses after a vehicle carrying my stock was looted between Bor (Jonglei State) and Manyabol (Greater Pibor). We need improved security along the road to allow the safe movement of goods and lower our operational costs.”
The Juba-Pibor Road continues to face major challenges including armed ambushes which put commercial vehicles and civilian travelers at constant risk of violent attacks. However, the presence of UNMISS peacekeepers does have a deterrent factor.
“I feel confident conducting business here in Pibor town because peacekeepers perform regular patrols in and around the area,” she adds.
Navigating supply chains is only half the battle, Rose has also had to fight deep-seated cultural norms that limit women’s economic independence, particularly regarding land ownership.
To eliminate her monthly US$50 rent, Rose sought to acquire land to build her own shop. Local officials initially turned her away, telling her she needed her husband’s presence to secure the title.
“What kept me push forward was knowing that women have equal rights to land. Attaching a woman's right to own land to a man should be a thing of the past,” she said.
Through persistence, she successfully secured a plot and plans to build on it soon. Her resilience is deeply personal. A survivor of gender-based violence who separated from her husband three years ago, Rose uses her past experiences to instill strength in the next generation.
“I always tell my daughters to prioritize education and become independent. If I wasn’t educated, I wouldn't be here running my own business,” Rose explained.
By Angellah Mandoreba
