When Rose Pita began cooking in the backyard of her home in the South Sudanese capital of Juba 19 years ago, she never imagined becoming a role model for aspiring restaurateurs.

A teenage boy who lost his mother in an attack on the payam of Duk Padiet earlier this year called on all residents of Jonglei State to surrender their arms to government forces.

John Okulo has come a long way since he signed up as a child soldier during the height of Sudan's civil war at the age of 14.

Unlike many of his comrades who served in the Sudan People's Liberation Army, the now 21-year-old former combatant has successfully re-entered civilian life.