About
peace canal
Peace Canal builds on the work of the Peacebuilding Opportunities Fund, a UK-funded program that began implementation in South Sudan in December 2019. It initially operated in four conflict systems across the country. The program aims at targeted communities becoming more harmonious and resilient to conflict, as well as strengthening and supporting more inclusivity of political, socio-economic, and cultural institutions that are key for handling conflict and establishing the conditions for sustained peace.
International donors in South Sudan play a key role supporting the ongoing peace efforts. Part of this endeavour is to support local actors to sustain effective initiatives. The Peacebuilding Opportunities Fund established an effective infrastructure of local personnel, working in their regions to support the program outcomes.
In order to consolidate into a sustainable local structure, which can continue to work in partnership with the United Kingdom Government and other donors, as well as its wide network of local actors, the team took the decision to establish a locally-registered NGO.
Local, Community-led
Peacebuilding
POF discovered that the local stakeholders were often being left out of peace and security initiatives that were taking place on a national or international level. Decisions about communities’ welfare and security were being made without their consultation or insight.
Identifying the
Root Causes
In 2020, the Peace Opportunities Fund (POF) -
funded by the FCDO - carried out
sense-making workshops with cattle
camp and village communities to better understand their needs and the underlying causes of violence.
Using a
‘Systems’ Approach
POF used conflict data and community insights and, working with a ‘systems’ approach, were able to map two ‘conflict systems’ - the Jonglei-GPAA and the Lakes State conflict system.
The Peace Opportunities Fund established Peace Canal in 2020, recruiting advisors from the affected conflict system.
Our
Background
Born from
Community Needs
There was demand for an adaptive
Peacebuilding programme in South Sudan -
working from the bottom up with the
communities to set the peacebuilding agenda
- in order to develop sustainable, community
owned solutions to violent conflict.