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Sudanese staff testing soil for Yambio-Tambura road
As plans move forward to rebuild Western Equatoria’s Yambio-Tambura road, local people are gaining far more than a new route in the south.
The UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS), in partnership with USAID’s Accelerated Infrastructure Program, began the project, which it considers key in opening up the area and boosting economic growth in Southern Sudan.
For local staff from small rural communities, the road repair is also a chance to learn professional skills that will carry them beyond the project.
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The community has played an vital role in designing and planning the endeavour. A six-member national team, including three women, is running the materials and soil lab in Yambio. With training in material and soil testing, the team’s role in infrastructure development in coming years will be significant.
The crew collecting soil samples from the road site to test for preliminary weight and density also test for optimum water content. This information will help the design team determine the exact combination of materials needed for construction.
As work progresses, staff members will continue to play an important part in testing materials and determining the quality of the finished road. They have an chance to become part of broader infrastructure development , once construction has finished.
Simon Misa, a 24-year-old lab assistant from Yambio, believes that local communities need to take over once UNOPS and other agencies have left Sudan. “We are now gaining the practical knowledge to train others later. We are learning that the work we do is ours.”
The USAID Accelerated Infrastructure Program is offering local staff not only an opportunity to work, but also a sense of ownership. |
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