A South Sudanese Youth activist is calling  for the creation of  Peer to Peer  HIV support groups in South Sudan, on World Aids Day.

Peer to Peer  support has already gained ground in Maridi, where HIV health workers are reporting a spike in HIV prevalence rates.

Peter Garang Ngor, the peer, the coordinator Students peer project in Maridi, said he was "shocked about the several misconceptions surrounding HIV and AIDS,  as i speak there are some youths who are saying , that there is nothing like HIV aids, this is just a trick..."

Garang turned up for a discussion on Miraya Breakfast show with Sebit William, on why Peer to Peer support matters as a strategy to prevent farther spread of HIV.  

A South Sudanese Youth activist is calling  for the creation of  Peer to Peer  HIV support groups in South Sudan, on World Aids Day.

Peer to Peer  support has already gained ground in Maridi, where HIV health workers are reporting a spike in HIV prevalence rates.

Peter Garang Ngor, the peer, the coordinator Students peer project in Maridi, said he was "shocked about the several misconceptions surrounding HIV and AIDS,  as i speak there are some youths who are saying , that there is nothing like HIV aids, this is just a trick..."

Garang turned up for a discussion on Miraya Breakfast show with Sebit William, on why Peer to Peer support matters as a strategy to prevent farther spread of HIV.  

7 December 2016

Traditional chiefs and religious leaders are spearheading a reconciliation and trust building initiative aimed at encouraging displaced persons to return to their homes in Wau. 

Thousands of people fled their homes after renewed fighting between the SPLA and armed elements in June.

“We are trying to create dialogue among the communities,” says Wau town Mayor Mel Aleu, adding that the fighting resulted in the loss of trust among the people.

28,851 civilians are sheltering at a UN-protected area in Wau, while an estimated 11,000 others are camped at the Catholic Church compound, the Red Cross and other areas.

Mayor Mel Aleu spoke with Radio Miraya’s Sani Martin in this interview.

JMEC pledges support for South Sudan’s proposed national dialogue

JMEC Chairperson, H.E. Festus Mogae, has pledged to support President Salva Kiir’s national dialogue “in any way we can.”

Festus Mogae made the announcement as he opened the December JMEC plenary on Saturday in Juba.

This week, President Salva Kiir called for a national dialogue and said that a panel of "eminent personalities and people of consensus "would guide the national dialogue, intended to involve "all the people of South Sudan."

 “The president has seized a critical opportunity for national reconciliation and has appealed for a spirit of forgiveness and togetherness”, Festus Mogae said.

In his speech announcing the national dialogue initiative, president Salva Kiir promised that "as long as I am your president, I will not allow the suffering of our people to continue and I will not also allow this country to fall apart”.

The Chairman also invited all JMEC members to consider their own verdict on the accomplishments of 2016. He noted that “our modest accomplishments have been outweighed by a number of squandered opportunities”, before adding:

“Suffice to say, however, that, if it weren’t for the unfortunate events of July, we may very well have achieved something more substantial”.

He commended the partners in the Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU) and other relevant South Sudanese and international stakeholders for their commitment and continued support to JMEC and the peace process in South Sudan.

 “As we approach Christmas, the message is one of ‘peace and goodwill to all people’ and that must be central in our message to all the people of South Sudan. We must all commit here and now to making 2017 a year of peaceful progress”, Festus Mogae concluded his monthly presentation to the JMEC board members.

More Festus commentary:

The new UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has delivered a message of peace.

Unprecedented levels of marginalization of women have prompted the establishment of farming field schools, one of the most comprehensive initiatives yet by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization  - FAO.

With more than 600 farming field schools spread across the country, Rose Adede, FAO’s Gender Affairs Officer, says the idea is to empower women with farming skills, to help them improve their livelihoods.

Adede Rose has spoken with Miraya Breakfast Show host Sebit William, and explains how these schools are transforming the lives of women in South Sudan.

7 December 2016

A local advocacy group is working with communities to help survivors of gender based violence.

The ‘Initiative for Peace Communication Association’ runs programs with inmates at Juba Central Prison and in parts of the Gudele and Kator residential areas of Juba and in Terekeka. 

“We offer psychosocial support and counselling,” says Grace Kiden Hilary, a member of the Association.

Grace said their services stretch to free legal aid services, through availing pro-bono lawyers to handle reported cases.

The association’s work comes into the spotlight during the ‘16 days of activism campaign against sexual and gender based violence.’

The campaign kicked off on 25 November with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and culminates with Human Rights Day on 10 December.

This year’s campaign is being commemorated under the theme ‘From Peace in the Home to Peace in South Sudan: Make Education Safe for All’.

Date: 21 December 2016
Reporter: Henry Lokuri
Duration: 03’22

Juba and Khatoum have agreed to extend the agreement on oil financial arrangements by three years.

“I am happy to announce that we have reached an agreement to extend the cooperation,  especially in the petroleum industry we will extend the agreement for three years,” said  South Sudan’s Minister of Petroleum Ezekiel Lol Gathkuot, as he returned from Khartoum to Juba on Tuesday.

The deal came after two days of negotiations between Minister Ezekiel Lol Gathkuot and his Sudanese counterpart Mohamed Zayed Awad.