Letting communities 'lead: participative dialogues in Twic and Gogrial West

In Twic and Gogrial West Counties, meaningful change is taking root through community dialogues, hand-drawn sketches of boreholes, and visions of hope outlined in community plans. This transformation is made possible with the support of Phase II of the Enhancing Community Resilience and Local Governance Project (ECRP II), a project of the Government of South Sudan, managed by the Ministry of Finance and Planning, and implemented by World Vision in Twic and Gogrial West Counties of Warrap State. The project focuses on strengthening the resilience of flood-affected communities and enhancing their capacity to prepare and respond to floods.

After months of rigorous engagements with community members and key government stakeholders in the selected bomas (sub-villages), payams (villages), and counties, two validation workshops were held. All these are part of the community mobilisation process that the ECRP II is implementing.

Over 1900 people have participated in the mobilisation process, whose aim was for the community members to identify, prioritise and validate their priority needs for support under the ECRP II Project.  Various key stakeholders (local leaders, government officials, community – women, youth, and farmers – representatives, and the selected development committees) participated in the process.

With support from local authorities and development committees and input from community representatives, community members were given the opportunity to participate in an open and transparent process for identifying their own priorities, shaped by both real-life experiences and pressing needs. Consequently, a total of 128 community infrastructures such as schools, boreholes, water yards, and health centres were damaged, and new community infrastructures were selected, screened for environmental and social risks to the community, and validated. The total budget available for this service is $4 million.

Through various engagements, the community has been made aware of this. They understand and appreciate that budgets are not just numbers – they tell stories. The prioritised community infrastructure includes water supply facilities, health, and education facilities in the 20 bomas.

”For years, we have been drinking unsafe, swampy water that was harmful to our children and caused diseases. The news about the borehole that will be drilled in our payam makes us feel that hope has finally arrived. We will soon have access to clean and safe drinking water, something that many other payams still lack.” said the Boma chief from Pan-Nyok Payam. Mandeng also envisioned the construction of classrooms, which would make learning more conducive and safer for children.

“Our children are studying under trees and leaking roofs because they have dreams. They endure difficult conditions. But with the construction of the school building, they will soon have proper classrooms and a better learning environment.”

The validation workshops held in Turalei and Gogrial Headquarters were not just procedural. There were community milestones. In addition to confirming these initiatives, the workshops also introduced a grievance redress mechanism. This system includes hotlines and help desks to ensure community members can raise concerns, report issues, and hold those who are responsible or accountable. 

"The validation workshops, both in Gogrial West and Twic, went very well. I am immensely pleased with the active participation of the participants in the discussions. Community representatives and government officials from the payam, county, and state clearly understand the essence of the project, especially that it is owned by them for the benefit of their people. So, they took these processes seriously and have been supportive of World Vision,” expressed Paddy Magalula, ECRP II Project Manager. 

These stories from Twic and Gogrial West are stories of empowerment, ownership, and trust. Community voices shaped every step, turning plans into concrete actions. As one elder puts it, “This time, we are not waiting; we are leading.”

Story & Photos by Stella Inya