Strengthening the Movement in South Sudan: Assessment, Partnership and Celebrating Women’s Leadership
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As part of our ongoing commitment to strengthening the YMCA movement across Africa, the Africa Alliance of YMCAs recently conducted a Strategic Alignment and Movement Strengthening Assessment with South Sudan YMCA, an important step in deepening organizational effectiveness and long term impact.
Over the course of three days, the team engaged closely with both the Board, staff, volunteers and beneficiaries of South Sudan YMCA, facilitating an Organizational Health Assessment designed to reflect on current systems, identify strengths, and uncover opportunities for growth.
Strategic Alignment
These sessions went beyond assessment. They created space for strategic conversations on sustainability, including how the National Movement can strengthen its financial resilience through social enterprise models and locally driven initiatives. Discussions also explored how South Sudan YMCA can continue to position itself as a relevant and impactful actor within its context.
A key focus was on strategic clarity and alignment, particularly how the National Movement’s direction can align with Vision 2030 and the Africa YMCA 3.0 Game Plan, ensuring that priorities, programs, and structures are working cohesively toward a shared continental vision.
The team also engaged in conversations around the Power Space model, deepening a shared understanding of its purpose, not just as a physical youth centre, but as a safe, inclusive, and empowering environment where young people, especially women and girls, can build skills, exercise leadership, and drive community transformation.
In addition, discussions highlighted the importance of impact communication and storytelling, strengthening how South Sudan YMCA captures, documents, and shares its work. Emphasis was placed on moving beyond activity reporting to telling meaningful stories of change, amplifying youth voices, and demonstrating the real impact of programs in communities. This is seen as critical not only for visibility, but also for learning, advocacy, and resource mobilization.
Engaging the Wider Movement
Beyond the assessment process, the visit also provided an opportunity to connect more broadly with the ecosystem that supports and strengthens YMCA work in South Sudan.
The team visited the regional office of Y Global, a key partner supporting the implementation of programs in the country. The engagement offered valuable insights into the operational context, partnership dynamics, and the ongoing work being delivered on the ground.
It also created space to exchange perspectives on strategic priorities, share reflections from the assessment process, and explore how collaboration can be further strengthened to support sustainable, locally driven impact for young people.
Celebrating Women and Girls in Action
A highlight of the visit was the opportunity to participate in an International Women’s Day event hosted at one of South Sudan YMCA’s youth centres. The gathering brought together young women, girls, and community members in a vibrant celebration of leadership, resilience, and collective action.
Representing the Africa Alliance of YMCAs, the team contributed reflections during the panel session, emphasizing the importance of creating inclusive spaces where women and girls are not only participants, but leaders and decision makers within the movement and their communities.
The event was further enriched by a message from the Africa YMCA General Secretary, Nirina, who encouraged young women to step confidently into leadership:
“You belong in leadership. Your voice matters, your ideas matter, and your leadership is essential for the future of Africa.”
Her message reinforced a shared commitment across the movement to ensure that women and girls are empowered to thrive and rise, not just in moments of celebration, but in everyday leadership and action.
A Shared Path Forward
This visit to South Sudan YMCA reflects the essence of the Africa YMCA movement, walking alongside National Movements to strengthen systems, deepen partnerships, and amplify youth voices.
From strategic reflection with leadership, to advancing conversations on sustainability, storytelling, and alignment, to engaging partners and celebrating the lived experiences of young women and girls, the visit highlighted both the progress being made and the collective responsibility to continue building a stronger, more inclusive movement.
As South Sudan YMCA continues its journey, the Africa Alliance remains committed to supporting efforts that ensure young people, especially women and girls, are equipped, empowered, and positioned to lead change in their communities.
