Recorded in the field — with all the onlookers, interruptions and humour that come with it — this episode captures an unfiltered conversation about the realities of peacebuilding in South Sudan. We discuss two journeys: how plans can work or unravel, new directions emerge, and how relationships of trust and commitment can guide a process when it seems like it might collapse.

In the days before the roads opening, Chief Gulech of Gumuruk suffered devastating personal loss: five family members killed and twelve children abducted in retaliatory violence. Yet he refused to let grief derail the initiative. Even as he worked to recover raided cattle, he reaffirmed his commitment to peace, declaring that leaders are “for everyone,” not just their own community.

See the road openings through the eyes of the POF and Peace Canal team members from the four groups.

This initiative was an ambitious plan to open up connections between communities along two key routes that span the expanses of remote Jonglei and GPAA.

Read the daily blog updates, photo journal and the background.

In December 2025, Murle chiefs gathered in Pibor to confront insecurity, restore customary law, and renew collective leadership. As formal sessions ended, discussions continued into the night—signalling a shift from crisis response toward sustained, locally owned peacebuilding grounded in accountability, inclusion, and shared responsibility.

Women across Jonglei and GPAA are leading courageous, community-driven efforts to trace, recover, and reunite abducted children. Through the ICGS platform, they are proving themselves not just participants but key architects of peace - mobilising communities, bridging divides, and transforming child recovery into a powerful force for healing and reconciliation.

In the final episode for the year, we reflect on 2025: swamps, films, trading cows, 'FLIP', and much more. We also discuss the challenges of funding cuts and political change, a less than inspiring strategic response to the new landscape, and the hope found in collaboration with local leaders, youth, and women as we steer towards the new year.

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.