The International Organization for Migration (IOM) in collaboration with the national civil society organization, Community Empowerment for Progress (CEPO) on Saturday graduated 320 youth after the completion of a three-month Gender-Based Violence course in Wau town of Western Bahr el Ghazal State. 

The 160 males and 160 females selected from different residential blocks by the local leaders were also trained on gender transformation. 

While addressing the graduates on Saturday, the state CEPO representative Franco Musa urged the graduates to go and train their communities on the skills they have acquired.

“The training was run by 32 people only but they have managed to train 320 people. So, if the 320 people go and train another 640 people on the same training,” said Franco. “Today you have learned the importance of girls and women within the community whether you are a boy or a girl. I know the girls that received the training will give good awareness to their neighbors and parents on injustices imposed on women by men."

On her part, the director general in the ministry of youth, culture, and sports, Mary Gabriel said, "I am very happy today to understand that our children have acquired training in leadership skills of which they are able now to train other young ones within the community." 

One of the graduates, Madelena Arkangelo, said: "During the training, I received some changes in my life. The training has given me a good role to play and not to do negative things within my community. I was thinking about our challenges as girls, especially about the lack of money that leads us to suicidal thoughts, but this training has trained me to get out of such thoughts.