In South Sudan, survival is a daily struggle, particularly for the women of Gondokoro Island. Amidst soaring inflation and economic challenges, these women are navigating the Nile, using canoes to bring fresh produce to the markets of Juba. Their efforts provide sustenance for their families and challenge the notion that canoe transportation is solely a man’s job.
Jackline Gune, who had to leave school early, has paddled canoes since childhood. “Paddling canoes is what I grew up doing,” she says. “I dropped out of school in primary four to support my family. This work is crucial because it helps us transport our fresh vegetables to the market.”
During the rainy season, women cultivate kudura, gwedegwede (local vegetables), okra, and maise. Once harvested, these crops are transported to Juba using canoes. Gune emphasises the importance of this method: “We need the canoes to bring our produce to the city to sell,” Gune explains.
“By the age of nine, you should be able to paddle a canoe.”
Willima Kiden
Gondokoro, an island near Juba in Central Equatoria, has a rich history as a trading station on the White Nile. Today, Gondokoro is home to approximately 14,700 people, many of whom rely on agriculture and canoe transportation for their livelihoods.
To maintain their canoes, the women pool their resources. “We collect money so that when the canoe has a problem, we can repair it or buy a new one,” Gune explains. “This ensures we can continue our work without interruptions.”
The income generated from her work has enabled Gune and her family to make significant purchases. “We have a big farm, and the money we make from our produce has allowed us to buy a grinding mill, a local canoe, and a car. Cultivation helps a lot. The money you get from it can be more than government money,” she says.
Gune’s efforts have also fostered a sense of mutual support within her family. “I cultivate in the village, and my husband works in Juba,” she explains. “After selling our produce, we give the money to our husbands, making them very happy,” Gune adds, highlighting the traditional family structure where the husband is in charge of finances.
Questions may arise about the extent to which Gondokoro’s women are free to use their money. However, this does not diminish the fact that their quest to survive has set them on a path that both challenges gender norms and carves out an essential role for them in family and local economics.
Willima Kiden also had to leave school early due to the harsh economic realities in Juba. She moved to the village to cultivate crops and support her family. Kiden highlights the importance of canoeing skills from a young age. “In our village, by the age of nine, you should be able to paddle a canoe. It is crucial for our work.”
She requests for more resources to enhance their efforts. “Government and NGOs should help us by providing more canoes and agricultural tools. This will ease our work and improve our ability to supply vegetables to the market.”
Stella Cley, a social worker at Juba Teaching Hospital, emphasises the need to support these women. “These women are working hard to feed their families. Some are widows or school dropouts, and their responsibility is immense,” she says. “They need more support, even though our ministry does not have the budget to help them.”
The Women Advancement Organisation (WAO) is one such organisation that has been supporting the women of Gondokoro since 2017. WAO’s Executive Director Suzan Pasquale details this support: “We train women to produce various crops, manage pests and diseases, and water the garden. We provide generators, fuel, and trainers to help them improve their agricultural practices.”
Pasquale also notes efforts to secure additional resources for these women. “We have contacted different donors to buy speed boats to help women transport their products to the market. To ease their work, we want to buy speed boats for women in remote areas.”
The women of Gondokoro are addressing their immediate survival needs and laying the groundwork for a more secure future. Their determination demonstrates women’s crucial role in the economic and social fabric. By providing a vital lifeline for their families and communities, these women have proved that a path to survival can also be a path to opportunity and change.
In challenging gender norms and proving their indispensability in their country’s journey towards food security and economic stability, the women of Gondokoro are linked to many more women across the Nile Basin. Together, they embody a powerful movement towards a more inclusive and prosperous future for the entire region. Recognising and supporting these efforts is essential for fostering a more inclusive and prosperous future for South Sudan and the Nile Basin.
This article is part of The Niles Issue #19, The Feminine & The Nile, produced by Media in Cooperation and Transition (MiCT) with financial support from the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI). It is part of the initiative The Niles: Strengthening Media Capacities and Networks in the Nile Basin, supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and commissioned by the German Federal Foreign Office (AA). The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of SIWI, GIZ, the German Federal Foreign Office, or MiCT.
