Five Talents: new report reveals the transformative power of savings groups in South Sudan

South Sudan faces a humanitarian crisis, with long running conflict and instability resulting in over 4 million people uprooted from their homes. 

As the country looks to the future, a key challenge remains: how to help displaced communities rebuild, return, and find lasting peace. 

In the face of such challenges, organisations like Five Talents are making a quiet but powerful difference. They work with the Anglican Church in disadvantaged rural areas of eastern Africa to enable people who have little to no access to financial services to begin savings groups, where they receive training and support to set up and grow small businesses. Through Five Talents programmes across 12 countries, over 300,000 people - mainly women - have been empowered to learn, earn, save and start businesses. Beyond the immediate economic impact of the programme, families and communities are building a better future for themselves.

As Archbishop Abraham Yel Nhial of South Sudan said:

“There is a time for UN aid. I myself was a recipient of UN aid as a child. But I don’t want my people to always need UN aid. We have to move past being dependent on aid. This is why the work of Five Talents is so important. I have seen the difference it has made.”

New research spotlights impact of Savings Groups

To mark World Refugee Day, Five Talents UK has published new research into the impact of savings group programmes in South Sudan, and outlines how the savings groups: 

• provide immediate and short-term, sustainable humanitarian response to affected populations’ basic needs as they remain displaced
• contribute to violence mitigation, as affected populations are provided with options to recover from economic loss aside from looting and violence
• contribute to affected populations’ long-term flourishing and development as they recover and rebuild their lives
• create a more sustainable peace as displaced people reintegrate and build more socially cohesive communities
• provide an immediate response to protection needs by creating a forum for localised psychosocial support amongst savings group participants

Stories of hope and healing in South Sudan

As well as sharing helpful country context and the data behind the impact of savings groups, the report also includes powerful stories from people who have found a source of hope within the savings group and associated trauma training.

“The group’s encouragement and support has kept me going. They talk to me when I am lonely and depressed. It’s not just about the money. God is here through the group’s presence.”

Angelina, Savings Group member, South Sudan

Give

Help to empower more displaced women like Angeline through a savings group programme. Because of conflict in the region countless other women like Angelina have lost their homes and livelihoods and have endured trauma and personal grief. Your generosity and partnership with communities in South Sudan is a lasting investment in economic transformation, peace building and hope. 

Support Five Talents

Act

Read the report to help you better understand the South Sudan national crisis, and the positive solutions that are being delivered by Christians inspired by their faith. Consider sharing this information with members of your church, or online.

Pray

Father God,

We pray for the people so grievously impacted by the horror of conflict, natural disaster and hardship at such an unimaginable scale in South Sudan. We pray for peace, reconciliation and wisdom for this who hold power and the means to bring about change.

We pray for your protection and inspiration of organisations like Five Talents, as they seek to bring relief and stability into this complex situation. Through them and your spirit, may you bring the ‘peace that transcends understanding’ to traumatised people.

In Jesus name
Amen.

Photo credits: Jean Bizimana from Taking Pictures, Changing Lives Foundation.