USAID hires local population to implement development projects

November 29, 2009 (JUBA) — At Gangura Payam 20 km from Yambio, the State Capital of the Southern Sudan’s Western Equatoria State, villagers are pocketing enough money from a local Labor-based Contractor project funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by the Louis Berger Group

The US group has been awarded in October 2006 a 700 million dollar contract for building infrastructure in South Sudan. In accordance with the five-year contract Berger will contribute to Southern Sudan’s infrastructure reconstruction and rehabilitation in: transport, urban development, water supply, sanitation, public buildings and energy and natural resources. Berger will also work to develop the local nascent private sector and provide technical assistance for public sector institutional development and capacity building.

Instead of contracting large international or national construction companies, USAID is investing in local contractors as a way for creating employment, promotion of self-reliance, and growth of the local economy.

The hiring of local workers means to put food on the tables of villagers who are on the subsidized rolls of the Government of Southern Sudan and typically citizens who used to live below one US dollar per day.

As a worker for an indigenous local contractor based in Yambio, a 25-year-old Sudanese woman, Roda Peter, said this job would allow her to assist in the economic development of her country.

“I am doing this to develop my village, it also one way to develop myself. From the money I have earned, I have been able to construct with corrugated Iron sheets a house of two rooms at my village.”

“Local Based Labor targets poor people from [our] communities who cannot access bank loans, blacksmiths, tailors, carpenters, etc. Our roles will be very helpful, as the local laborers will be able to earn income for themselves and their families,” says Nelson Abbas, a Local Labor-based subcontractor.

The local and traditional leaders have hailed the local labor based project, for it is improving the lives of unemployed youths and women. According to Gangura Area chief, “the project has reduced crime and idleness in the villages, as most of the young men are taking part.”

It’s the first of its kind in Southern Sudan for road repair or construction carried out by dealing directly with locals. With so many feeder roads to be improved and maintained in Yambio and throughout Southern Sudan, USAID hopes to expand the availability of local Labor-based Contractors to illustrate that State’s communities and a strong commitment by the Government of Southern Sudan can improve economic growth and job creation for local communities.

(ST)