29/07/2025
South Sudan: 250 Inmates Graduate from Vocational Training Program Supported by the Netherlands and UNDP
Juba â July 29, 2025 | Wadeng Albino Deng -The South Sudan Prisons and Correctional Service on Tuesday celebrated the graduation of 250 inmates who completed a one-year vocational training program, supported by the Kingdom of the Netherlands in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The training program, conducted at the Prisons Service headquarters in Juba, covered a variety of vocational fields including carpentry, metalwork, cooking, tailoring, general electricity, auto mechanics, and computer literacy.
In an interview with Juba News , Engineer Sabuni Samuel Olega, Director of Training at the Prisons Service, revealed that a total of 523 inmates were enrolled in the program, divided into two cohorts â the 9th and 10th batches. He noted that the 9th batch did not graduate last year and was therefore included in the current graduation ceremony.
Olega stated that 90% of the inmates successfully graduated, while 10% could not complete the program due to early release but are still eligible to receive their certificates.
He added that the training duration was previously six months but was extended to a full year under a revised curriculum aimed at better equipping the inmates with practical skills for reintegration into society.
Engineer Emmanuel Kosi, a trainer in welding and metalwork, explained that the program includes both theoretical and hands-on training. He proudly shared that several of the released inmates have already found employment â including one who now works as his assistant after being trained while in prison.
In interviews, several female inmates expressed optimism about their future. Nyaker Magor Ajang said she completed training in bakery and plans to open her own local bakery after release. Hiba Khalid, who trained in computer skills, said she hopes to start a computer shop and continue her education. Kadin Antias, a tailoring trainee, shared that she would abandon her criminal past and build a new life after prison.
This vocational training initiative is part of a broader effort to rehabilitate and reintegrate inmates into society by empowering them with skills that foster independence, self-worth, and lawful livelihoods.
