Catholic Diocese of Tombura-Yambio Holds Roundtable Meeting with Stakeholders to deliberate on Ways of Supporting Women, Children and Youth in Western Equatoria State.

According to Ms. Veronica Annie Michael, head of the Women and Family department, the diocese initiated a program last year with support from Bishop of Tombura-Yambio Catholic Diocese Rt. Rev. Barani Eduardo Hiiboro to support women, children, and youth by offering psycho-social support which includes availing possibilities for the vulnerable community members to send their children to school and also providing basic needs where possible to the communities that have been adversely affected by war situation that engulfed Western Equatoria State and South Sudan.

Annie explained that the initiative started by the department of women and family included practical activities that are income generating for families to enable them to become self-supporting.

Western Equatoria State Minister of Gender and Social Welfare, Hon. Anigunde Cecilia Bii who was present at the meeting expressed gratitude to them for taking lead in supporting the vulnerable community members thus supplementing the efforts of the government. She said that the government alone cannot fulfill the needs of all community members throughout the country, owing to limited resources, as the involvement of church organizations towards supporting some of the community needs is a great and commendable deed.

Hon Bii further expressed that when stakeholders come together it is very essential to think more about how to support all citizens who are the valuable assets of any community and the country at large. She pleaded with the stakeholder at the roundtable discussion to concentrate more on solutions to the problems identified locally by finding local solutions and making sure that citizens are guided on how to implement those solutions in order to have fruitful outcomes.

Bishop Barani Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala, told the round table, discussion participants, to value the call for such meetings because it builds friendship and teamwork, and passion for participation in community concern. Bishop Hiiboro urged the stakeholders to always value teamwork because it is through such that the creativity and uniqueness of people can be realized.

The roundtable discussion brought people from different community levels, state and local government officials, law enforcement actors, women and youth representatives who met at the Curia, the Diocesan headquarters of the Catholic Diocese of Tombura-Yambio.

By Elias Ginana Mangbondo