Machar’s transformation from feared fighter to respected peace leader shows what becomes possible when communities drive their own change. Once known for violence, he now guides others in reconciliation. His journey reflects a wider truth in South Sudan: when people are trusted to lead, peace is not only possible - it can endure.

Zaari Ibon, a Murle armed youth leader, took to the floor beneath the great tamarind tree in the heat of the late afternoon sun. Encircled by representatives of the communities he had been fighting since boyhood, he said:

“Today I want to tell you that I am no longer a cattle raider… I will not continue to raid people’s cattle or to abduct children.”

Three women from Motot walked for days—through mud, setbacks, and cancelled flights—just to reach a women’s peace conference in Juba. They weren’t travelling for themselves; they were carrying the hopes of their communities. Their determination embodied the message of the gathering: peace is not theory, it is action. Their arrival, late but powerful, reminded everyone that commitment, leadership, and courage often come from those who walk the hardest roads to be part of the solution.

Sixty women leaders from Nuer, Dinka, and Murle communities met in Juba for a landmark peace conference. Through storytelling, movement, and dialogue, they confronted cycles of violence, recognised shared challenges, and committed to practical next steps. The gathering embodied women’s determination to reshape peace across Jonglei and GPAA.

Conferences often promise dialogue but deliver hierarchy, ego, and endless flipcharts. Yet, when reimagined as spaces for genuine conversation, they can nurture ecosystems rather than egos. It is possible. Our recent women’s conference was a small step into circles, embodied reflection, dancing, and shared responsibility; sparking connection and ownership.

Four years after the Pieri Agreement, the Seventh ICGS session in Juba reaffirmed community commitment to peace amidst setbacks. While abductee returns stalled, progress on road access and a shared boarding school offered hope. A public film screening and renewed dialogue reinforced the importance of sustained, practical intercommunal cooperation.

'Localisation' has reached celebrity status in the world of jargon. In this two part episode, we look at some of the realities of how this is playing out on the ground, exploring questions of ownership, competency, local capacity and value for money.

In a region long scarred by violence and displacement, the women of Bichibich (in the Nanaam region of Greater Pibor) have named their new community centre Kuyubuza – “I am resting”. More than just a word, it captures their yearning for peace, safety, and a future they can finally begin to rebuild. This is their story.

25-27 March 2025, POF launched the Facilitative Leadership Inside-Out Program (FLIP) in Juba. The program is a pilot initiative that draws together individuals active in their sectors to explore, experience, and emerge into an understanding of ‘facilitative leadership’. The program is a one-year experience that will comprise in-person and online training, as well as peer action learning groups. After the in-person meeting, on 6 June 2025 the group came back together online to reconnect.

‘Nobody wants guns. Even the youth, they don’t want,’ spits Machar Dhuol Manguak emphatically, as his grip tightens around a clutch of spears. The spiritual leader isn’t sure exactly how old he is, but he knows he’s the oldest man in Rumbek Town. Nobody else from his age set is left — nobody else with the same tribal facial markings remains.

In a show of unity, Pakam and Luanyjang community leaders walked together through swampy terrain to share peace resolutions forged in their first-ever dialogue. This grassroots dissemination, led by youth and chiefs, marked a shift from conflict to cooperation—symbolising free movement, growing trust, and local ownership of peace as an ongoing, community-driven journey.

On 13-14 March, leaders from Jonglei and GPAA gathered in Juba to develop a locally driven peace and development strategy (2025-2030). Hosted by area-based partners, the dialogue emphasised local ownership, inter-communal governance, and sustainable economic pathways—moving beyond short-term fixes to long-term solutions for stability.

Despite deeply ingrained cultural norms, women in Deng-jock Payam have proven to be powerful peacebuilders. Through the Bridges of Peace initiative, they’ve led successful reconciliation efforts, yet their contributions remain overlooked. For lasting peace, we must challenge stereotypes and recognise that peacebuilding is not gendered—women are vital agents of change.

The first part of 2024 Year in Review looked at what happened, and in part II, David Vincent, Minagano Kape and Rob Lancaster look at the frustrations and issues emerging from those experiences... and lessons for 2025.

"This is painful in a way we can't forget."

Mothers bear the emotional and often physical brunt of intercommunal conflict: caught up in cattle raids, subject to gender based violence, kindnapping and the loss of their children.

Livelihood programmes in South Sudan, like POF’s Livelihoods Lab is experimenting with Peace Farms and cattle trading initiatives to bridge peacebuilding to economic pathways by fostering social cohesion and economic empowerment in the same engagements. These community-driven models provide sustainable income, mitigate conflict drivers, and empower marginalised groups, demonstrating how integrating livelihoods with peace interventions transforms communities and supports lasting stability.

Inter-cultural dialogue is a pillar of human being. In South Sudan, complex layers and intersections between cultures highlight the importance of shared identity in peacebuilding. These cultural distinctions need to be navigated intelligently to find mutually beneficial pathways and avoid reinforcing divisions that easily become violent.

Following the Creators of Peace Circle, nine women continued for a further two weeks together to co-design a simple facilitated process that can be used with other women back in their communities. Minagano Kape, Ann Njeri Ndangui and Nyadow Makuach share their reflections on the process with Rob Lancaster, POF Team Leader.

The Peace Cirlce workshop, held from 29 July to 2 August, brought together women from diverse backgrounds in South Sudan to foster connections, share experiences, and explore their roles in peacebuilding. Women from regions with a history of conflict set aside their differences to build unity and sisterhood. The process explored inner peace, forgiveness, and self-awareness as crucial steps toward broader peacebuilding. Participants reflected on their personal growth, gaining the courage to speak up for themselves and their communities.

In the first of this human security series, we explored a different angle on just governance for South Sudan, highlighting the need for localised approaches, where governance should be rooted in community-driven measures and balanced with novel inputs, rather than imposing external legal frameworks. Now we turn to inclusive economics, including rethinking why seem to be in favour of ‘bull markets’ but not bull markets.