EcoRise South Sudan is proud to announce a landmark achievement: our designated watermelon farm for IDPs is officially under harvest!

Pictured here are IDPs beneficiaries , proudly leading his community in reaping this abundance. Through climate-smart agroecology, optimizing scarce water resources and enriching soil health, we have transformed a simple plot into a thriving source of food, nutrition, and income for displaced families.

This harvest proves that IDPs are not passive victims; they are resilient producers ready to rebuild. We call on partners and donors to invest in scaling this proven, IDP-led agricultural model. Let's turn displacement into durable, dignified livelihoods.

What does it cost to support displaced people?

It doesn't cost a fortune. It costs intentionality, understanding what they truly need—and genuine effort, standing alongside them, not above them.

Imagine a refugee family sitting down to a meal of fresh eggs, not as a handout, but as a product of their own community’s resilience. Our poultry farm isn't just about raising chickens; it is about restoring self-sufficiency.

We are building a sustainable cycle: we raise healthy, high-yield poultry and distribute them to refugee settlements. But we don’t just stop at distribution; we provide the training for recipients to breed and manage their own flocks. This transforms a one-time gift into a perpetual source of nutrition and income

We request #Cohere Charity to leverage your trusted network of partners, donors, and impact investors to connect us with individuals or organisations interested in investing in our refugee-led poultry project that builds sustainable nutrition and income through training and flock distribution.#RefugeeEmpowerment #SustainableAgriculture #ImpactInvesting #CommunityResilience #FoodSecurity #Livelihoods #InvestInRefugees #PoultryFarming

The tragic incident, a man buried alive has fueled a dangerous belief that this act caused our prolonged drought, marking the third such fatal case this year. This superstition highlights a critical gap in public understanding. In response, EcoRIse launches a vital Climate Change Awareness campaign to bridge folklore and fact. Climate change is governed by complex atmospheric systems, not rituals. While activities like deforestation accelerate warming, no local event can stop the rain. Misinformation compounds tragedy, risking lives by delaying water conservation, sustainable farming, and disaster preparedness. We must educate our communities on the true drivers of our climate.

Our farm is not just about chickens; it's a blueprint for resilience. We empower families to transform risk into reward, turning small spaces into sustainable profit centers. With quick returns and scalable models, we offer a tangible path away from dependence on single-income streams. This is about building security, fostering self-reliance, and cultivating a future where your livelihood is as robust and dynamic as the birds you raise.

#PoultryFarming #LivelihoodDiversification #SustainableAgribusiness #SelfReliance #FoodSecurity #RuralEmpowerment #ResilientFarming

You want to know what real empowerment looks like?

Look at this tomato harvest.

Local government gave this farm to returnees and vulnerable families. But the land alone doesn't feed anyone.

In the picture:

✅ Ripe tomatoes – separated for selling and eating.

⏳ Unripe ones – set aside to grow a little more.

❌ Spoiled ones – tossed out, no shame in failure.

That’s exactly how we work at EcoRise.

We don’t just hand out help. We teach sorting, patience, resilience.

Give people tools and skills, and they’ll feed themselves for life.

Livelihood + Agriculture = our stronghold.

And this farm is proof.

#EcoRise #RealEmpowerment #TomatoHarvest #LivelihoodAndAgriculture #NoHandoutsJustHarvests #FromDependencyToDignity #ToolsAndSkills #OurStronghold

Earlier this year, they launched small businesses. Executive Director, Today, during weekly monitoring, they shared what's working and what's not.

What they can do: Grow vegetables, raise poultry, sew, produce goods.

The gap they named: No market to sell to. They trade under harsh sun. Goods spoil. Income suffers.

Their solution? A simple shaded shelter where they can display products together.

Seed capital proved their ability. Now they need a market to match it.

We're listening. Next step: build that space.

#ReturneeWomen #MarketGap #ListeningToWomen

Today, we shared our proven community-driven programs: Alternatives to Violence Program (AVP) for nonviolent conflict transformation, Peace Clubs in schools, and Community Outreaches engaging elders, women, youth, and PWDs.

We then proposed a new initiative: “Youth Peace Ambassadors & Community Dialogue Hubs” – expanding Peace Clubs into peer-led mediation teams in schools, paired with neighborhood dialogue hubs where trained community members resolve disputes before they escalate.

This advocacy approach builds local ownership, strengthens early warning systems, and complements the Commission’s mandate to seek buy-in to pilot this model in two high-conflict zones, leveraging existing structures for sustainable peace.

The children are coming. The land is there. But there is no fence to keep them safe, no clean water to drink, and no latrine for dignity and hygiene. For just $5,000, we can build a simple fence ($1,500), install a hand‑pump or water tank ($2,500), and construct one ventilated pit latrine ($1,000). Without these three basics, even the most caring adult cannot protect these war‑traumatized children from illness or harm. We are not asking for playgrounds or fancy equipment. We ask for a fence, water, and a latrine. That is what it takes to turn an empty field into a safe place where children from Sudan can finally breathe, play, and begin to heal. Please support this little effort for the children of Gorom.https://youtu.be/4Gl7amrbJBk

Growth and resilience at the border! 🌽🌱

We are thrilled to share the early stages of our new maize farm project in Narus, Kapoeta East, near the border! Just a few months into planting, these young crops are already representing a vibrant, fresh start for the local community.

Through our strategic partnership with the County Authority, this agricultural initiative is all about boosting local food security, creating sustainable livelihoods, and fostering community resilience right where it’s needed most.

The maize may be in its early stages, but the future of this project looks incredibly bright. Stay tuned as we monitor its growth!

#KapoetaEast #Narus #SustainableAgriculture #FoodSecurity #CommunityResilience #PartnershipInAction #BorderCommunities

New beginnings take root! 🌱

Through our wonderful partnership with the County Authority, two resilient families who lost their homes and land to last year's devastating landslides were allocated a new plot of land last year.

Today, they are turning adversity into hope. On this shared farm, they are growing cassava—not just as a crop, but as a sustainable way to rebuild their lives, secure their food supply, and establish a new livelihood.

We are incredibly proud to stand alongside these families and the local authorities to foster community resilience and recovery.

#Resilience #CommunityFirst #SustainableLivelihoods #PartnershipInAction #AgricultureForGood #RebuildingLives

The maize on the EcoRise farm is golden, ready for harvest. But this is no ordinary crop.

This maize is proof. Proof that when you give returnees real tools, not temporary relief, they turn barren ground into food, income, and hope.

This harvest is not the end. It is the most powerful advocacy message we have:

What works for one farm can work for a thousand

🎉 Huge congratulations to our Executive Director, Emelda Napeyo Patrick!

She has officially completed the Nivishe Foundation’s Cohort 6 Mental Health Fellowship and received her certificate as a Mental Health Advocate.

We’re incredibly proud of her dedication to strengthening mental health awareness and support. This is leadership in action.

#MentalHealthAdvocate #NivisheFellowship #Cohort6 #LeadershipInAction #NivisheAccepted

🌶️ From dependency to self-sufficiency – one bell pepper at a time.

Soon, our returnee farmers will harvest their first crop of pilipili hoho (bell peppers). But this harvest means so much more than fresh produce.

It proves a principle we live by at EcoRise: give a fish, and you feed someone for a day. Teach them to fish, or better, give them the right tools, and you change everything.

These farmers came back to their land with little more than hope. We didn't just hand out aid. We gave seeds, training, drip irrigation, and market links. Real tools. Real agency.

Now they don't wait for handouts. They plan, plant, and problem-solve on their own farms. This is the confidence we wanted to build.

This is how you rewrite the narrative—from victims to growers, from dependent to resilient.

At EcoRise, we don't save people. We equip them to save themselves. And soon, these bell peppers will be proof. 🌱

#Agroecology

You've seen what’s possible when trust meets action. A tray of tomatoes, paid for before harvest. A returnee who traded years of refuge for a future of dignity. None of this happened by chance; it happened because every day members chose to fund change themselves.

Now it’s your turn. Join EcoRise. Become a member. Help us reach more returnees, more farms, and more futures locked and loaded before the first seed goes in the ground. No waiting. No wasted life.

👉 Sign up as a member today. Share this model. Fund a harvest. Be the reason someone builds a home.

#NoMoreWastedLife

#JoinTheRebuild

#CallToAction

This farm, where she is standing, is what the EcoRise Agriculture Program built. Our beneficiaries now have income from the harvest, you see. We gave seeds. She grew a future.

EcoRise financed this entire project with membership contributions. No big donors. No outside shortcuts. Just our community pooling resources to lift another community. We are a self-driven team. We saw what war and discrimination took away, and we decided to give back the most powerful tool of all: a farm.

When vulnerable people receive seeds and land, they do not just grow food. They grow stability, dignity, and income. This harvest is proof. Every vegetable sold means a family rebuilding what was stolen from them.

This is where we come in. EcoRise gives the tool. The community does the rest.

#EcoRiseAgriculture #SeedsNotHandouts #SelfDrivenTeam #MembershipPowered #RebuildWithHarvest

🌱 From returnees to resilient farmers.

Angelina, Nakenya, and Lucia returned from Kakuma and, through EcoRise’s Agroecology program, received seeds early this month.

Now? Look at this tomato harvest. 🍅

They have food to eat — and something to sell.

That’s the power of investing in women, land, and local food systems.

👏🏾 Proud of what these three women are growing.

#EcoRise #Agroecology #ReturneeFarmers #TomatoHarvest #FoodSovereignty.

Today, one of our beneficiaries’ small-scale agroecology farms was visited by WFPFSL (Food Security and Livelihoods). The WFP team was moved by the returnee’s testimony. As a result of the visit, she has been recommended for their ‘Pathway to Resilience’ initiative, which will support her with solar-powered water pumps and related inputs to strengthen her agroecological production system. This is a small yet meaningful achievement; other returnees are also engaged in similar efforts and continue to strive toward resilience

During her visit to Gorom, our Executive Director met with refugee leaders at the Gorom Refugees Resettlement to discuss a critical need identified by the community: strengthening parents’ ability to support their children’s emotional and social development. Based on their input, we plan to launch a pilot project on social-emotional learning (SEL). The project will begin by forming parenting groups, through which caregivers will learn practical skills to champion their children’s well‑being, enhance positive social interaction, and support healthy developmental outcomes. This pilot directly responds to priorities you have helped us advance, including community-led protection and family-based psychosocial support.

We have formed our EWER Champions, and now we are launching live on air. Through the Community Conflict Observatory Program CCOP , EcoRise is taking a short but powerful step to help communities turn resource competition into sharing before conflict takes root. Our champions listen for early warning signs, start honest conversations, champion fair access to natural resources, and build social cohesion one dialogue at a time. This is not about blame; it is about foresight and unity. Tune in, speak up, and join the solution. Together, we observe early, respond together, and keep our shared resources and peace intact.

Today, we successfully engaged kraal youth and payam administrators on alternative livelihoods to replace cattle raiding, which has disproportionately victimized women and girls. It is imperative that payam administrators take this into serious consideration and champion the integration of these livelihood alternatives within their governance structures. Following the engagement, our team held an internal consultative meeting to map out next steps

EcoRise South Sudan is driving meaningful change by supporting communities through its thematic focus on smart agriculture. This marks a significant step forward for us as we empower Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and refugees with agricultural training and the provision of essential seeds

How can strategic partners support climate-adaptive and conflict-sensitive agriculture strategies to protect vulnerable households against recurring shocks?

In the early stages of this journey, our intervention was simple: we distributed watering cans. It was a symbolic gesture of sowing hope. Today, however, we are witnessing something far more profound: the blossoming of genuine livelihood opportunities. Our Food Security team is steadily improving the lives of the community, and the results are visible. A prime example is the thriving Sukuma Wiki (kale) farm we see here, which stands as a testament to resilience and sustainable growth.

For the last 8 months, the only Child-Friendly Space in Gorom Resettlement has sat empty. The fence is down. There is no water. Children's laughter has given way to silence.

But the need hasn't disappeared. The children are still there, and their right to play and learn in safety remains.

EcoRise has stepped up to support two dedicated personnel in restarting activities. However, we face a critical challenge: Without a fence, there is no protection. Without protection, we cannot open the doors.

We stand at a crucial juncture. We have the heart to run this space, but we need the means to secure it. We are calling on the community and partners to help us rebuild the perimeter so we can turn this building back into a classroom and a haven.

These children deserve a place where they are safe. Let's build that fence together.

#ChildProtection #Gorom #EcoRise #HumanitarianAid #EducationCannotWait #SafetyFirst

It was a wonderful pleasure. Madam Emelda, the Executive Director of EcoRise, had the opportunity to visit the Gorom Refugees camp for a needs assessment.

We are grateful to share that the generous donations of watering cans and gumboots have now arrived. We are awaiting the seeds, expected tomorrow, after which we will begin full distribution to our beneficiaries.

This distribution is intentionally focused on supporting our returnee beneficiaries as they rebuild their lives. For those returning home, these simple tools are more than just material aid; they are the first steps toward stability and self-reliance.

The seeds, watering cans, and gumboots will empower them to grow their own food, secure a sustainable livelihood, and cultivate a sense of purpose and belonging. Providing these essentials, we are not only meeting an immediate need but also nurturing the roots of their long-term reintegration, helping them to rebuild with dignity and hope.

In Juba, young refugee and displaced women are turning interrupted educations into new futures through digital skills. Our center has the tools, power, and passionate learners to foster job creation and independence.

But two gaps remain:

• Transportation: Many cannot afford the commute while caring for children.

• Internet: A reliable connection is essential for a true digital opportunity.

With $10,000, we can bridge these gaps by providing transport stipends, establishing reliable internet, and supporting childcare.

What does community resilience mean to you?

Regenerative agriculture is more than a set of practices; it's a tool for building understanding.

Our field trainings equip farmers with skills to improve soil texture, increase yields, and restore land. Crucially, EcoRise also creates a space for farmers to discuss and address the underlying social and environmental drivers of conflict in their communities, like resource access and climate pressures.

Healing the land and strengthening the community go hand in hand.

Have you seen agriculture bring people together?

This afternoon, EcoRise South Sudan sat in a circle with resilient returnees and internally displaced persons. We listened, not as experts, but as partners. A mother’s quiet plea echoed the core need: “A safe place to start over.”

They shared their urgent priorities: durable shelters that can weather the storms, clean water close to home, and seeds for gardens that will feed both bodies and hope.

Hearing them is our duty. Helping them build this foundation is our mission.

EcoRise South Sudan is committed to turning these voiced needs into sustainable, community-built solutions. But we cannot do it alone.

You can be the next step in their story of resilience

EcoRise has resumed its normal operations. Yesterday, during a routine monitoring session, it was amazing to see seeds turn into food. As part of our thematic pillars on livelihood and peacebuilding, we believe that where there is food, there is no war. This experience reinforced our belief that we must do more to promote regenerative agriculture.

If a child must choose between a meal today and a classroom tomorrow, have we already failed them?

In Kapoeta, returnee children face a daily struggle: go to school hungry or work the streets to survive. When survival is a full-time job, dreams are buried. Poverty should not be a life sentence.

During school breaks, EcoRise provides a protected, community-backed platform where children sell Mandazi to cover their basic needs and future school fees. Our model ensures no exploitation and no dropouts. EcoRise South Sudan offers a safe bridge for children to support themselves, keeping them exactly where they belong: in the classroom and on the path to thriving.

If you lost everything and finally returned home, what would be the first song you’d want to sing?

At EcoRise, we believe that art is a bridge to belonging. Through our Art Program, we are nurturing the raw talent of young returnees through the power of music and poetry.

By providing a safe space for expression, we aren't just teaching skills; we are fostering social inclusion and helping children find their voice as they reintegrate into their communities.

EcoRise launched an evening street show initiative to support returnee children who have started their own small businesses selling Mandazi and other items. With resilience and hope, these children are not only building a livelihood for their families but also healing through creativity and community connection.

Since we’re unable to provide direct financial or food support, our Art Program designed this short-term intervention to bring people together, using music and public speakers to draw attention to the children’s market. A designated box is placed in front of their items, making it easy for passersby to show their support by purchasing Mandazi and other goods.

This is more than just a marketplace. It’s a space for healing, dignity, and collective care. Through rhythm, voice, and community, we’re helping turn challenges into opportunities.

EcoRise South Sudan is thrilled to launch its first Basic ICT cohort, empowering youth with vital digital skills!

This initiative was made possible through a collaborative partnership with the County Government, which has temporarily provided us with access to their unused premises and equipment. This crucial support directly fuels our mission and amplifies our impact.

We are transforming idle community resources into dynamic tools for learning and growth.

This is just the beginning. Join us in this movement!

Support our mission to equip more young South Sudanese with future-proof skills. Partner with us, spread the word, and help us scale this success to more communities.

Together, we can turn potential into progress.

Women as environmental and social pillars