Document Abstract
Published:
2008
Examining enterprise capacity: a participatory social assessment in Darfur and Southern Sudan
Development of sustainable enterprise among internally displaced persons
As humanitarian, political and development challenges continue to mount, organisations and communities within Sudan must recognise, utilise and strengthen existing capacities for their own development. Recognizing the complexity of this challenge for all levels of Sudanese society, this report describes the first known baseline study which directly investigates the existing capacity of, and provides recommendations for, the development of sustainable enterprise among internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Darfur and Southern Sudan.
The main objective of the study is to inform the discussion of post-war reconstruction from a grassroots enterprise development and gendered perspective, specifically for the return and resettlement of IDPs from Darfur and Southern Sudan and the demilitarisation and reintegration of ex-combatants from Southern Sudan as part of the disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR) process.
Despite being removed from the traditional livelihood strategies of farming, herding, animal husbandry and trade, IDPs in Southern Sudan and Darfur are interested in enterprise development and are modestly engaging in limited grassroots enterprise activities that have the potential to be developed in sustainable livelihoods.
In many instances, existing capacity for enterprise as a means for post-war reconstruction is overshadowed by ongoing conflict, tense political situations, relief-focused policy and programs and a general lack of experience or local examples for sustainable enterprise among the target communities. A desire to discover and communicate existing capacity among the war-affected communities in Darfur and Southern Sudan is driven by the belief that such capacities do exist and can perhaps play the most important role in Sudan’s post-war reconstruction.
The main objective of the study is to inform the discussion of post-war reconstruction from a grassroots enterprise development and gendered perspective, specifically for the return and resettlement of IDPs from Darfur and Southern Sudan and the demilitarisation and reintegration of ex-combatants from Southern Sudan as part of the disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR) process.
Despite being removed from the traditional livelihood strategies of farming, herding, animal husbandry and trade, IDPs in Southern Sudan and Darfur are interested in enterprise development and are modestly engaging in limited grassroots enterprise activities that have the potential to be developed in sustainable livelihoods.
In many instances, existing capacity for enterprise as a means for post-war reconstruction is overshadowed by ongoing conflict, tense political situations, relief-focused policy and programs and a general lack of experience or local examples for sustainable enterprise among the target communities. A desire to discover and communicate existing capacity among the war-affected communities in Darfur and Southern Sudan is driven by the belief that such capacities do exist and can perhaps play the most important role in Sudan’s post-war reconstruction.
