In South Sudan, where 72% of the population is young, a transformative initiative is demonstrating the power of entrepreneurship as a tool for peace, economic stability, and rebuilding lives. The Youth Entrepreneurship and Capacity Building Project (YEDCB), financed by the African Development Bank Group and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme, is providing interest-free loans and critical training to young and women-led enterprises, creating a new wave of opportunity in a nation recovering from conflict.
From Displacement to Entrepreneurship
The impact of the project is powerfully illustrated by the story of Cecilia Ani. After conflict destroyed her home and forced her family to flee in 2023, the 28-year-old’s life was upended. However, an interest-free loan of $27,000 from the YEDCB project allowed her to return, restart her vegetable business, and begin rebuilding. Today, she employs two people and has already repaid 38% of her loan.
“This project has enabled me to save some money which I am now using to reconstruct a house for my family,” Ani shared. “It has supported many displaced women, restored our confidence, and enabled us to go back home and rebuild our lives.”
Scaling Local Production for Global Markets
The initiative is not just about survival but also about scaling for growth. Hagana Agro-processing Co. Ltd., a producer of honey and peanut butter, used its interest-free loan to acquire raw materials and process them to international standards, unlocking access to global markets.
“The interest-free loan has enabled us to source raw materials and process them to international standards for marketing globally,” said Goodwin Juma, the company’s Sales and Marketing Officer. “Previously we only sold raw materials, now we are part of the value chains and shaping new markets.”
Empowering Women-Led Cooperatives
In the capital, Juba, the Beti Events Women Cooperative Saving and Credit Society has grown from a small snack vendor into a full-fledged enterprise. A loan of approximately $38,500, combined with training in manufacturing, packaging, and financial management, helped the 40-member cooperative scale its operations significantly.
Betty Bony, the cooperative’s chairperson, expressed her delight with the progress. “We have been able to improve our packaging and labelling and increase sales, enabling us to easily pay school fees and healthcare for our children and families, provide other basic needs, and save for the future,” she said.
A Blueprint for MENA’s Youth-Driven Economies
While focused on South Sudan, the YEDCB project offers a compelling model for the MENA region. With its own significant youth bulge and several nations navigating post-conflict reconstruction, fostering grassroots entrepreneurship is a critical priority. The success of providing accessible, interest-free capital combined with targeted capacity building showcases a viable strategy to empower young founders, stimulate local economies, and build resilient communities from the ground up—a lesson directly applicable to unlocking the potential of youth across the Middle East and North Africa.
About The Youth Entrepreneurship and Capacity Building Project
The Youth Entrepreneurship and Capacity Building Project is an initiative funded by the African Development Bank and implemented by the UNDP in South Sudan. It aims to provide young people and women with the skills, financing, and assistance needed to build sustainable businesses and create employment opportunities. To date, the project has disbursed $110 million in interest-free loans to 1,247 youth and women-led small and medium-sized enterprises across the country.
Source: African Development Bank Group
