28-year-old Nunu Nuela is a busy person. She’s a mother of two young children, is studying to complete a degree in Business Administration and trains young women at the Anika Women’s Association in Yambio to make cosmetics and harvest honey. Her passion: using craft to benefit entire communities. In this short interview, Nunu tells us about why she believes skill-building in arts and handicrafts is a way forward for young people to ensure brighter futures.

What made you decide to delve into art and craft?

Women have suffered tremendously in South Sudan, not least because of the wars and conflict, but also because many of us weren’t given the same opportunities as the boys in our families, since we live in an overarchingly patriarchal society. So we thought, why should we wait for a man to be the sole breadwinner? That’s why we started training local women from our communities in art and craft so that they can make their own money.

We launched our classes some two years ago and it has been good. It’s amazing to create things with your own hand. You put your heart into it and most of the girls we teach here feel the same passion for craft.

Were your family and friends supportive of your career choice and what challenges have you faced so far? How have you overcome these?

We all have challenges when starting from zero. It isn’t easy for anybody to begin a new venture, but if you’re patient, you start seeing results. And that’s when the magic happens. I am very happy with what we’ve achieved through teaching women craft. I know I’m doing the right thing when I see young girls being empowered to earn their own living.

When I was growing up, my uncle who was very strict wanted all of us from the family to enter into the medical profession. He wanted us to be nurses or midwives, but I didn’t want those career options. It took courage to defy him and I didn’t really have much support from anybody in my family.

But today, my uncle is one of my biggest advocates and even tells my daughter to choose her own path just like me!

What motivates you to use your talent to improve other people’s lives?

There’s a saying that when you share your knowledge, you grow more as a person. That’s what motivates me to do as much as I can to train young women in handicrafts. When I see them blossom, become more confident and create beautiful art, it’s a sublime experience for me and I am very thankful I chose to do this work.

Why is it important for young people to be actively involved in politics and speak up on issues that impact them directly?

If we don’t speak up, how will people know that we are in pain? If we, as young people, especially as young women, are brave enough to ensure our collective voices are heard by the powers that be, only then can the myriad issues we face be addressed. South Sudan is one nation; it is our nation. It’s important that we have a voice that is considered and included by decision-makers in our own land.

What do you feel your country needs most at this moment in time and why?

As a woman, I feel what South Sudan needs the most right now is peace and security. We need to feel safe in our own homes, on our roads and among our communities. We need to be able to get a good night’s sleep.

If you had a message for the youth of South Sudan, what would it be?

I urge every young person to become an ambassador for peace. Youth are peace makers and if we forget our petty differences and come together, our entire country will be prosperous and peaceful. In five years’, I would like to see my country develop to the level of all other nations and be a model of progress that countries can emulate.