Bees occupy the floodlights that were once used to illuminate the playing fields. Paint has peeled off from the walls, and the endless iron sheet fencing is falling apart. The rundown structures tell tales of days before, when the young and old would come out to compete in various sporting activities. It is the sad story of the Malakal Stadium – the only fully-fledged stadium in South Sudan’s Upper Nile region.

All is not lost, though, as a new light bounces on the horizon for the stadium. Peacekeepers from the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), government officials, youth, and even children, have been getting together to rehabilitate the playing fields at the stadium, which has remained unused since conflict broke out in the region in 2013.

“This is what we need. Not cash. Not handouts. We need opportunities to exercise and to put our talents to use. This stadium will help us in this,” says Mayom Chol, the team captain for the Sobhat football team. “When we have a field to play in, we can spend the day warming our boots instead of engaging in idle activities like playing cards, drinking and others. Football also helps us reduce the stress.”

Mayom’s words echo the sentiments of many here. Despite being talented, the six football teams in Malakal town have had no playing fields to practice. The youth eventually got together and started some minor works on the football field in the stadium. Soon, a helping hand came their way. UN mission engineers from the Indian battalion and UK contingent crowned that initiative by bringing out their machinery and skills. Together, they seek to restore volleyball, basketball and football fields, and to build a netball pitch for the girls.

UNMISS Civil Affairs officer, Jinnah Nyallay, who is coordinating the stadium project, has the importance of sports in promoting peace and mutual interaction in his sights.

“We are actually working on this space so that the youth from the protection site and those in town can come together and build strong mutual relationships through sport,” she stresses.

The mayor of Malakal, Peter, agrees that the stadium still has a long way to go to restore its former glory.

“We are very grateful to the UK [United Kingdom] and Indian engineers who have helped us work on the fields and made them more conducive for the youth to use. We hope in the coming days that this will be a place where the youth from all over the state can come and play in.”

It has been long since whistling referees, sighs and the cheers of excited fans, and the sounds of hands and feet striking balls were heard here. With these rehabilitation works, though, residents hope these lively sounds will be heard again, soon, in the Malakal stadium.