Women who had been displaced by fighting听in South Sudan are sowing seeds of peace, with support from the UN mission in the country,听UNMISS.听
They have been given ox ploughs听to听work the land, as part of a campaign to resettle returnees in the Rumbek North area who were uprooted during intercommunal clashes last year.听听
鈥淲e realized that household food security is one of the key factors for return and reintegration to be sustainable,鈥� said Caroline听Opok, a representative of the peacekeeping mission.听
Rumbek North has been听greatly affected by conflict, displacement and food insecurity.听
Due to persistent intercommunal violence, including cattle raids, revenge attacks and armed ambushes, many people in the region have been reduced to relying on relief aid.听
Tired of depending on external assistance,听and with oxen aplenty available, residents figured that听having听ploughs could听improve their situation.听
鈥淭he challenge they reported was a lack of implements to increase their food production. That鈥檚 how the ox听plough idea was born,鈥� said听Samuel Owoko, a representative of Sans Frontieres Germany, the organization implementing the project.听
The听tools听were handed to women鈥檚 groups, as local tradition dictates that girls and women are the ones responsible for feeding their families.听听
They听will be put to good use, according to Mary Agor, a local women鈥檚 leader.听
鈥淲e have been using hand hoes, and with that you can only do so much. With these ox ploughs coming in, we shall cultivate bigger areas which will help us sustain our families throughout the long dry spell. We shall also have some surplus produce to sell at the market in Rumbek and thus make some money鈥�, she said.听
All that is required听now听is for their men听to bring back the bulls to听draw the ploughs.听
Most of the time, male villagers bring their cattle and run into the wilderness as a way of fending off possible raids from听neighbouring听communities. Now, their women want them back home and working.听
鈥淲e are telling men that food security is the responsibility of the听entire household, not just women鈥�, said Ms.听Opok, the听听representative.听鈥淲e are encouraging men to bring out the bulls and put in the energy to work together with their women to expand the areas of cultivation鈥�.听
Ms. Agor, the women鈥檚 group leader, also had a message for the national authorities:听鈥淲e want our听Government to make sure that there is enough security so that we can bring in our bulls and cultivate. Without peace, that will not be possible. Right now, the roads are full of armed youth. They should go away so that our men can听safely return with their cattle鈥�.听 听
