Our impact

Women Empowerment

Nearly every mission of the Catholic Diocese of Rumbek runs an active Women’s Desk. The desks are non-denominational, they are led by women, and their work runs from sewing machines and groundnut harvests to peacebuilding and hygiene training.

A sewing class at work on treadle machines

Why the work matters

Women at the centre of reconciliation

Women play a major role in mitigating the effects of the culture of revenge that is firmly entrenched in South Sudanese society.

They are also key in bringing about reconciliation, transitional justice, economic development and education. Nearly all our missions feature an active and non-denominational Women’s Desk, devoted to empowering women and to founding active women’s groups.

A woman who earns can feed a household, keep a child in school and speak with authority in her own community. That is why the training below begins with a trade and does not end there.

Women cutting and measuring cloth on a veranda

The Women’s Desk

What the desks offer

Each desk decides what its own community needs. Across the diocese the training falls into four kinds.

Income-generating
Sewing and tailoring, oil products, handicrafts, hairdressing, horticulture, and women’s restaurants.
Justice and peace
Training in justice and peace, and in non-violent conflict resolution.
Health and hygiene
Health and hygiene training, taught within the women’s groups.
Women’s groups
Founding and supporting active groups, such as the St Monica Women’s Group in Rumbek.

In the groups

The work, photographed

A tailoring class with the garments they have made
A tailoring class with the garments they have made
Embroidery
Embroidery
Carrying harvested groundnuts, Mapuordit parish
Carrying harvested groundnuts, Mapuordit parish
The St Monica Women’s Group, Rumbek
The St Monica Women’s Group, Rumbek

Letters from Rumbek

A short monthly note from the diocese — what happened in the parishes, in the schools, on the radio. No more than one email a month.

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