Isa Kuku joined the Sudanese People’s Liberation Movement in 1988 to defend his country. As a young man with little outside training, all of his skills were developed specifically for military and combatant purposes.

In 2005 the Sudanese Comprehensive Peace Agreement was signed, ultimately leading to South Sudan becoming an independent state on July 9th, 2011.

One of the many challenges currently facing the country is the lack of trained labor force. During the war, people either fled to refugee camps or joined the resistance movement.

With funding from the UNDP, Action Africa recently spent two months facilitating the training of 200 ex-combatants or a proxy family member in Eastern Equatoria.

Kuku, father of 10 children, said that the mechanic training he received is crucial not only to his family and their livelihood but also to the country as a whole.

“People will have knowledge, the country will develop.” He said. “Today if they train me, tomorrow I will also train someone else. And that person will go and train another person which is great.”