For International Women’s Day on March 9th, the Rumbek Team convened women from the Rumbek Town Women Peacekeeping Team (WPT), Cueicok WPT, and Malengagok WPT. The Rumbek Town WPT was established in June 2013, has considerable experience, and includes Rup and Kuei women working on issues of both conflict mitigation across their clans, and women’s participation and protection. The Rumbek Town WPT members showed up to the event confident, together, and visible in their WPT t-shirts. This demonstration of unity evidently inspired the Thuyic women from Malengagok to think about ways they could also come together with the Gony women from Cueicok for peace.

Subsequently, the Rumbek Team trained the Malengagok WPT on Unarmed Civilian Protection (UCP). During the training, they presented a picture of small buffalo surrounded by big buffaloes, protecting the small ones from attack, and moving forward in the same way. The women responded that they wanted to create such a safe space for their children in coordination with the Cueicok WPT so that they could promote peace between Gony and Thuyic. This desire represents an exciting potential opportunity to convene Gony and Thuyic women for future peacebuilding efforts.

Programming Highlight:  Bringing Together Gony and Thuyic Women in Lakes

For International Women’s Day on March 9^го, the Rumbek Team convened women from the Rumbek Town WPT, Cueicok WPT, and Malengagok WPT.  The Rumbek Town WPT was established in June 2013, has considerable experience, and includes Rup and Kuei women working on issues of both conflict mitigation across their clans, and women’s participation and protection.  The Rumbek Town WPT members showed up to the event confident, together, and visible in their WPT t-shirts.  This demonstration of unity evidently inspired the Thuyic women from Malengagok to think about ways they could also come together with the Gony women from Cueicok for peace. 

Subsequently, the Rumbek Team trained the Malengagok WPT on UCP.  During the training, they presented a picture of small buffalo surrounded by big buffaloes, protecting the small ones from attack, and moving forward in the same way. The women responded that they wanted to create such a safe space for their children in coordination with the Cueicok WPT so that they could promote peace between Gony and Thuyic.  This desire represents an exciting potential opportunity to convene Gony and Thuyic women for future peacebuilding efforts.