Citizens in Torit danced with glee during an opening ceremony to celebrate the completion of two new Quick Impact Projects in the town – and they had every reason to do so. Over the past 9 months, the town’s inhabitants have keenly observed construction work aiming to rehabilitate a traditional court house and build solar-powered water and sanitation facilities at the local police station.  

“These particular projects are in line with the priority areas of Torit Municipality to provide development services to our citizens,” said Safari Dominic, Deputy Mayor for Land of Torit Municipal Council, during the recently held inauguration in Torit town.

When work began on the B’ Court last January, the building verged on collapse, endangering the lives of citizens who continued to gather there to hold traditional court sessions dealing with land disputes, property inheritances, marriage, allegations of theft and demands for cattle compensation.

The Head Chief of Torit Municipal Council, Aduma Mathew Ohoro, described the dire conditions of the court house, originally built in 1946, prior to its refurbishment.

“If it was not rehabilitated, it would have collapsed, and civilians would have been killed,” Ohoro explained, elated that the community would have a secure meeting place to convene on pressing matters.

Now local authorities, traditional leaders, and their communities are confident that the newly refurbished court house will play an integral role in resolving conflicts.

“The B’ Court will help to solve customary disputes across this municipality. I would like to encourage the head of chiefs in the area to take full ownership of the court,” commented Safari Dominic, highlighting the relevance of the structure for peacebuilding and conflict resolution.

Just a few hundred meters down the road, inmates at the Torit police station lauded the new water and sanitation facilities built within the prison for female and juvenile detainees. New toilets and showers aim to address the basic rights and maintain the dignity of women and youth in police custody. 

“I spent days in the prison without taking a bath. I didn’t feel well because at night I felt hot and dirty, but now I can take a bath. I am grateful because we have a toilet now, and it won’t smell inside the cell again,” described Nada Bali Mary, a female inmate who immediately benefited from the new facilities.

These two Quick Impact Projects, implemented by United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) with the Moonlight Development Organization are part of UNMISS’ efforts to create the conditions for implementing the mission’s mandate of building durable peace.

UNMISS Field Office Torit has implemented 16 Quick Impact Projects across the Eastern Equatoria region since 2012 to build a durable peace in the country.