Dialogue Helps Set Stage for Abyei Boundary Ruling - August 2009
In an effort to build a foundation for peaceful acceptance of the Permanent Court of Arbitration's ruling on Abyei's boundaries, USAID's Office of Transition Initiatives facilitated the participation of 30 influential Dinka Ngok and Misseriya leaders in a 3-day workshop on Sudanese cross-border relations.
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Students Address Conflict with Community Theater - August 2009
Forum Theater is an innovative performance technique used to create space for public debate on issues that may otherwise be seen as taboo. Recently, USAID provided support to local nongovernmental organizations as they assisted four student theater groups in South Darfur stage original plays on difficult topics.
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Practical Lessons Enhance Peace-Building Skills in Darfur - July 2009
The first regional conference of the Peace and Development Centers, which are based in Darfur's universities, provided students and faculty with an opportunity to network and learn from like-minded peers. The centers held interactive workshops and lectures on peace-related topics such as mediation and negotiation, environmental degradation, and Al Judia, a traditional mechanism often employed to resolve disputes.
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Collaboration Bolsters Schools in Kebkabiya - July 2009
The USAID-funded Darfur Community Strengthening Program is supporting PTAs from secondary schools across Darfur, helping them procure educational supplies and enhance their ability to engage local communities and government. The groups are identifying school improvement needs, developing partnerships, and campaigning for essential education services.
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Nursing Blue Nile's War-Torn Infrastructure Back to Health - February 2009
Residents of three isolated towns in Sudan's Blue Nile State have better access to basic health care services after a number of facilities were constructed or rehabilitated with OTI assistance. The facilities are providing tangible peace dividends in underserved and administratively unintegrated parts of the state.
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Devolved Governance Structures Take Root in Abyei - February 2009
Recognizing that peace in Sudan is contingent on a durable solution to troubles in the contested north-south border area of Abyei, OTI has been assisting with a recovery and development plan for Abyei town. The activity is not only restoring the town but also strengthening local government's capacity to address security and other key issues.
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Survey Casts Light on Inadequate Health Spending - February 2009
The first assessment of Sudan's health budget from a rights-based perspective, which focused on access for reproductive health care, has shown that the health sector is inadequately funded to provide care for all citizens. The OTI-supported survey has provided data that advocates can use to press for equitable primary health care services.
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Modern Techniques Enhance Traditional Conflict-Solving Skills - January 2009
Traditional, religious, civic, and community leaders from Sudan's Red Sea State took part in an OTI-supported training on alternative dispute resolution to augment traditional practices for mitigating and resolving conflicts. The new skills will allow the leaders to more effectively advocate for implementation of the Eastern Sudan Peace Agreement.
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Dinka-Misseriya Conference Overpowers Ghosts of Wartime Past - December 2008
Following fighting between the Dinka and Misseriya tribes in late 2007 over access to pastureland and water points, OTI facilitated the participation of key tribal stakeholders in a peace conference aimed at improving relations between the neighboring communities and at helping them find a peaceful way forward.
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Airstrip Improvements Help Open Path to Peace in Abyei - October 2008
OTI collaborated with the Government of Southern Sudan to fund the rehabilitation and extension of the Agok airstrip, which serves the crisis-stricken region of Abyei on Sudan's fiercely contested north-south border.
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Training Gives Activists Unique Tool for Confronting Social Injustice - October 2008
Grassroots organizations have seized on the opportunity to reverse the prevailing culture of war—which tends to cement biases and give rise to further discrimination. OTI is collaborating with a local NGO to share an analysis tool that helps organizations advocate for a more inclusive and just society.
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Water Yards Promote Peaceful Coexistence on Contested Border - September 2008
In an effort to quell tensions between the pastoralist and farming tribes that inhabit Sudan's contested north-south border region, OTI supported the rehabilitation of three water yards along a key migratory route known as the Central Murhaal.
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Water Cools Tensions in Kurmuk’s Expanding Urban Center - September 2008
OTI recently supported the efforts of local authorities in Kurmuk to ease tensions in the town's rapidly expanding urban center by funding improvements to a high-yield water borehole.
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Citizen Activists in Kordofan Take Civic Education to the Streets - August 2008
In an effort to inform citizens of their rights under the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, OTI supported a local civil society organization to conduct public forums in the Misseriya areas of Southern Kordofan.
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Engaging Religious Leaders To Combat Violence Against Women - August 2008
Armed conflict has led to a general breakdown of law and order in Darfur, and women—and girls in particular—are subjected to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) with alarming regularity. OTI supports the UNDP in its efforts to engage religious leaders in the fight against SGBV.
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Court in Darfur Convicts Two Government Soldiers of Child Rape - July 2008
Rape has become a common feature in Darfur, and as part of its effort to combat violence against women in Darfur, OTI supports the UNDP's Legal Aid Network to promote access to justice—especially for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence.
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Supporting Health, Building Trust in Neglected Region - July 2008
To address disillusionment over the slow implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, OTI recently helped Southern Kordofan State's main public hospital replace its stained mattresses, rusty supply cabinets, electric generator, and other basic equipment.
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Planting Seeds for Grassroots Development in Southern Kordofan - June 2008
OTI is supporting innovative efforts of the Southern Kordofan government to promote development that reflects the economic and social needs of the state's citizens, increasing citizen engagement in ongoing development initiatives through training and community development centers.
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Airstrip Helps Development Take Flight in Southern Blue Nile - June 2008
OTI funded the rapid rehabilitation and extension of Kurmuk's airstrip last month, enabling year-round access for delivering assistance and essential services to one of Sudan's most isolated and war-affected regions.
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Training Offers Youths Alternatives to Cattle Raiding - June 2008
In an effort to enhance security in the Greater Upper Nile region, OTI is providing assistance to establish six early warning monitoring posts where Dinka, Nuer, Jikany, and Murle tribal borders meet and violent clashes often occur.
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Water Douses Tensions in Abu Junuk - May 2008
OTI moved quickly last month to stem an imminent large-scale outbreak of violence in Southern Kordofan by supporting the delivery of emergency water supplies to the town of Abu Junuk until the annual rains come.
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Shangil Tobay Youth Unite To Form Human Rights Club - May 2008
Armed youth help perpetuate the cycle of violence that has ravaged Darfur for the past six years. In Shangil Tobay, six youths founded a Human Rights Club, following participation in an OTI workshop, to denounce ongoing abuses and the culture of violence in the region.
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Drilling Down Builds Up Marginalized Community - April 2008
Strengthening the capacity of government to address needs in Sudan's most marginalized communities, an OTI project in Kurmuk County provided a drilling rig to tap aquifers and help counter the local sentiment that the county continues to be overlooked in the post-conflict transition.
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Promoting Peace through Art and Culture - April 2008
OTI supported Sudanese artists with efforts to contribute to the country's post-conflict dialogue. One project allowed them to engage children in the capital of Khartoum with the creation and dissemination of peace messages through artistic media.
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Follow the Money: Concerned Citizens Track National Budget - March 2008
OTI recently responded to civil society's calls for increased government transparency by supporting a series of small grants to equip human rights activists and select government officials with the skills needed to analyze the national budget.
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Local Leaders Transform Community Attitudes About SGBV - March 2008
A culture of violence continues to permeate much of Darfur, and women and young girls are subjected to sexual abuse perpetrated by armed groups acting with impunity. As part of its effort to combat violence against women, OTI is supporting UNDP efforts to raise community awareness.
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Due to security concerns and laws restricting photography in Darfur, no photographs are available for this Success Story.
 

Giving Victims Access to Justice - January 2008
Since the crisis in Darfur began, millions of civilians have been displaced and hundreds of thousands have lost their lives. OTI provided funding to enable the region's human rights lawyers to take victims' cases and hold perpetrators accountable.
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Training Empowers Parliamentarians To Build Peace - December 2007
In an effort to jumpstart implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, OTI recently provided Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan parliamentarians with training to help them navigate the legislative process.
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Artists' Network Addresses Sexual Violence in Darfur - December 2007
A network of 40 artists in North Darfur has initiated a project to leverage the use of traditional artistic media to address sensitive topics, including sexual and gender-based violence. OTI provided the artists with training on a rights-based approach for addressing sexual violence.
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Supporting a Model for IDP Community Mobilization in Khartoum - December 2007
Since being uprooted by the north-south conflict, displaced families on the outskirts of Khartoum have had little access to basic education and social services. In one IDP camp, OTI rebuilt the school's roof and provided other basic items the school lacked.
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Youth Use Forum Theatre To Promote Positive Change in Darfur - November 2007
OTI recently supported the training of young actors in the method of interactive drama known as Forum Theatre, through which actors introduce a divisive scenario on stage and consult the audience to formulate a just outcome.
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Nuer Peace Council Launches a Liaison Office in Juba - November 2007
Until recently, the Nuer Peace Council's coordination efforts in Juba were hampered by a lack of adequate office space and high rental costs. With OTI support, the council now has a suitable space for its efforts to promote peace and reconciliation among southern Sudan's diverse tribes.
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Activists Propose Revisions to Local Governance Law - November 2007
To encourage progress on the Government of Sudan's transition to democracy, OTI supported a group of 35 civil society activists who have experience with legal reform and the legislative process to review and update the State of Khartoum's local governance law.
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Supporting Legal Redress for Victims of Violence in Darfur - November 2007
With funding made available by the Secretary of State's Initiative to Combat Violence Against Women, the UNDP is building the capacity of legal professionals in Darfur, raising awareness of sexual and gender-based violence, and providing legal services to survivors and their families.
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Combating Forced Marriage through FM Radio Programming in Eastern Chad - October 2007
Through daring radio features, "She Speaks, She Listens" contributes to the improvement of women's lives in eastern Chad by addressing sensitive topics, including violence against women. The weekly program, created by Internews and funded by OTI, has been on the air since 2005.
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First Sudanese Independent Media Center Established - October 2007
Sudan's independent media has a vital role to play in democratizing the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, and OTI has seized an opportunity to support the media in this role by assisting a small group of well-known journalists and scholars to open an independent media center in Khartoum.
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Center a Safe Haven for Youth and Women in Contested Darfur Town - October 2007
One way OTI aims to protect Darfur's vulnerable and marginalized populations is by empowering youth and women in neglected, rural communities. With that goal, OTI recently funded the rehabilitation of a dilapidated youth and women's center in Finna.
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Democracy Library and Book Forums Expand Public’s Horizons - September 2007
Although the Comprehensive Peace Agreement laid the foundation for democratic transformation in Sudan, much of the public remains uncertain of its content. To enhance open access to resources on peace building, human rights, and civic education, OTI recently funded the expansion of library collections housed in two of Khartoum's cultural centers.
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Health Facilities Increase Marginalized Population’s Confidence in Peace Agreement - September 2007
To support CPA implementation and peace, OTI recently financed construction at two health-care facilities in southern Blue Nile State. The Yabus Primary Health Care Unit received a permanent structure to replace its provisional one, and the community of Keili health-care unit has been upgraded to a full-fledged clinic.
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Promoting Sustainable Income-Generating Activities in Darfur - September 2007
In 2006, OTI launched an income-generating activities (IGA) initiative to provide national and international NGOs with tools to train Darfuris to identify and conduct IGAs that are safe and profitable. In one instance, a local NGO taught IDP women how to make and market cheese.
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Promising Darfurian NGO Given Voice at U.N. Human Rights Council - August 2007
The Darfur International Social Development Agency (DISA) has provided the U.N. with significant input on the human rights situation in Darfur. OTI has provided DISA with technical assistance and financial support so its representatives could travel to the U.N.'s June 2007 session in Geneva.
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Kauda’s Citizens Prioritize Education; Local Authorities Listen - August 2007
When the peace process in Sudan began to take hold, residents and local authorities in Kauda founded a primary school and Southern Kordofan's first teacher training facility. OTI recently funded an extension of the elementary school and construction of permanent additions at the teacher's college.
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Fight Against HIV/AIDS Coordinated from New Office Complex - August 2007
With funding from the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, OTI recently provided prefabricated offices for the newly established Southern Sudan AIDS Commission (SSAC). The new office compound in Juba allows the SSAC to focus on its mandate of coordinating a multi-sector response to HIV/AIDS.
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Aweil's New Legislative Assembly: The Best Building in Town - August 2007
OTI recently rehabilitated and extended the Northern Bahr el Ghazal State legislative assembly chamber in Aweil after learning that government efforts to ensure the peaceful reintegration of displaced people were being hindered by the lack of adequate facilities. Parliamentarians are meeting regularly in the improved space to discuss issues affecting the state.
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Peace Circles Increase Cross-Cultural Understanding in Schools - August 2007
To support the full implementation of the CPA, which guarantees freedom of association, a concept foreign to many youth in Sudan, OTI has supported the creation of peace circles in 18 public high schools in Khartoum. The initiative provided 22 teachers with training on the CPA, conflict resolution, and human rights.
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Fuel-Efficient Stoves Lessen Women's Search for Firewood in Darfur - July 2007
More than two million IDPs continue to live in crowded camps in Darfur, surrounded by increasingly deforested environs. Around the Al Salaam camp, firewood needed for cooking has become scarce, so OTI recently funded the introduction of fuel-efficient stoves to every household in the camp.
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Functional Offices Increase Government Capacity To Serve the Public - July 2007
More than two decades of civil war has left south Sudan's infrastructure, including health facilities, schools, and government offices, in ruins. OTI stepped in with support for county offices in Southern Sudan when it became clear that a lack of space, furniture, and supplies was hindering local government's ability to function effectively.
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Community Forums Resolve Conflict in Khartoum's IDP Camps - July 2007
The violence that periodically erupts in Khartoum's IDP camps reveals a need for enhanced negotiation and peace-building skills. Accordingly, OTI recently collaborated with a local NGO to train key community members in methods for diffusing tension and effectively spreading messages of peaceful coexistence.
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Rebuilding the University of Juba - June 2007
The University of Juba was Southern Sudan's first institution of higher learning; however, the school was temporarily relocated to Khartoum, a move that was resisted by the citizens of Juba. The Juba campus is reopening and OTI is helping with urgently needed renovations.
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Equestrian Festival a Conduit for Peace Building in Darfur - May 2007
To help the Southern Rizeigat, an Arab tribe in Darfur, maintain their nonaligned stance and serve as a model for others, OTI provided support for the tribe's equestrian festival in Ad Du`ayn. Such festivals provide a neutral setting where the region's tribes can socialize.
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FM Radio Program in Eastern Chad Addresses Violence Against Women - March 2007
To promote healing among women who have survived sexual and other violence perpetrated in Darfur and eastern Chad and to raise awareness in their communities, USAID's partner, Internews Network, produces a daily radio show, "She Speaks, She Listens."
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Promoting Peace and Human Rights on International Women's Day - March 2007
International Women's Day is commemorated annually on March 8 and offers an opportunity for people around the world to take positive action to protect and advance the rights of women. In North Darfur, OTI sponsored a festival to promote women's rights and address the harmful effects of violence.
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Land Rights Awareness - A Step Toward Reducing Conflict in East Sudan - March 2007
OTI partnered with a Sudanese civil society organization to organize a five-day workshop and training-of-trainers program focused on the CPA, ESPA, and conflict transformation skills applicable to land disputes.
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Providing Income-Generating Activities and Basic Public Services in Malakal - January 2007
Malakal, the capital of Upper Nile State, is suffering from an inability to meet the basic needs of its growing population. Sanitation is poor, clean water remains a luxury, and the threat of a cholera outbreak is high. In response, OTI is providing support to improve sanitation systems.
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Engaging Youth with DPA and Darfur-Darfur Dialogue and Consultation - January 2007
The Darfur Peace Agreement provides for a process of reconciliation known as the Darfur-Darfur Dialogue and Consultation, which will bring 1,000 representatives of the Darfurian people together to articulate community needs. OTI is helping prepare stakeholder groups for the conference.
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Basketball Brings North and South Together During Peace Week - January 2007
To support the second anniversary of the CPA, OTI supported renovations to the Youth Multiplex in Juba. The Multiplex was the site of Peace Week activities, including a North-South basketball tournament that presented an opportunity to build bridges between youth and raise awareness of the CPA.
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Supporting Youth Theater To Spread Messages of Peace - December 2006
Building upon the privileged position that young people in the IDP camps enjoy to address sensitive subjects with community leaders and other camp residents, OTI is supporting youth activities, including theater groups, in several South Darfur IDP camps to raise awareness about these issues.
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Supporting Democracy by Equipping Census Offices - December 2006
Under the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, Sudan will carry out its first-ever national population census in 2007. Its success will be critical to preparations for national and local elections. However, the challenges of planning a census in Sudan are staggering.
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Providing Clean Drinking Water to Communities in Southern Sudan - December 2006
The influx of returnees during Sudan's dry season has increased tensions over scarce water resources in the former garrison town of Wau in Western Bahr el Ghazal and is threatening to jeopardize the successful implementation of the recently signed peace agreement.
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Mobile Drama Distributes Peace Messages to North-South Border States - December 2006
OTI is funding 27 dramatic performances to deliver messages of peace to six states along Sudan's north-south border. The performances are helping improve strained relations among IDPs, returnees, and community residents.
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Radio Programming Addresses Violence Against Women in Eastern Chad - December 2006
Chadian and Darfuri refugee journalists at Radio Absoun in Iriba, Chad, which is funded through USAID's Initiative to Combat Violence Against Women, are addressing the serious health problems faced by displaced women on "To Your Health," a weekly show.
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Broadcasting Oral Summaries of the DPA in Three Local Languages - November 2006
Although the Darfur Peace Agreement was signed in May 2006, it remains largely inaccessible to the larger Darfurian population because the official drafts are in Arabic and English. OTI has produced audio summary translations of the agreement in three local languages.
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Teachers Use CPA as Inspiration To Transform School Curriculum - November 2006
Sudan's Comprehensive Peace Agreement has inspired community-level activists to cry for change, and in response, OTI has funded a project that allowed 35 primary school teachers to attend a six-day training-of-trainers workshop on the rights and fundamental freedoms addressed by the CPA.
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Supporting Higher Learning through Upper Nile University Rehabilitation - November 2006
OTI recently administered four in-kind grants to rehabilitate the medical clinic, student center, water system, and toilet blocks at Upper Nile University in Malakal. Two thousand university students and faculty members will benefit from the improvements.
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Combating Violence Against Women in Darfur through Gender Education - August 2006
As part of the $15 million initiative launched by the U.S. Secretary of State in 2005, OTI is challenging the climate of impunity that surrounds violence against women in Darfur.
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The Comprehensive Peace Agreement: Making It a Reality - May 2006
Many in Sudan know that the CPA holds the potential to significantly change their lives, but few are aware of its details. Accordingly, OTI supported an effort to disseminate information on the agreement that reached more than 150,000 people in five states in the South.
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Integrating the White Army: A Delicate Process - April 2006
The Upper Nile region has been severely affected by internal divisions and an overwhelming level of arms in the hands of civilians. During the war, youth were loosely organized in an irregular "civil defense" force that came to be known as the Jiec in Boor, or the White Army.
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Traditional Clothing Provides Protection for Women and Adolescent Girls in Darfur - April 2006
As the conflict raged in Darfur, many women were forced to flee their homes with only the clothes they were wearing, which, over time, became threadbare. Unaccustomed to immodesty, these women and girls have resorted to conducting their daily activities under the cover of darkness, exposing them to greater risks of assault.
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The Return of the Dinka Bor to Their Home - March 2006
For more than a decade, displaced Dinka pastoralists have been residing in Equatoria on land temporarily provided to them by their agriculturalist hosts. In response to tensions between the pastoralists and their hosts, OTI has provided several small grants to resettle the Dinka Bor in their homeland.
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