About WPESS

Grassroots peacebuilding led by and for the communities of South Sudan.

Vision & Mission

"Every woman, every child, full potential."

Our vision: a South Sudan where every woman and child is guaranteed full rights and attains their full potential for community wellness.

Our mission: to empower vulnerable children and women through education, nutrition, child protection and peacebuilding, fostering resilience and community sustainability.

WPESS started in 2019 as a small community group of women responding to the internal displacement, poverty, and poor health caused by South Sudan's civil conflict. Since then we've grown to work across six payams of Magwi County, earning the respect of local communities and partners including UNHCR and GIZ.

A member of the WPESS community in South Sudan
Our Approach

Three pillars of our work

Dialogue

Facilitated conversations between community and traditional leaders to address the roots of local conflict.

Sport & Community Bonding

Tournaments and shared events that give neighboring communities a reason to stand side by side again.

Women's Leadership

Creating safe, supported space for women to take part in public and community life, not just as bystanders to peace.

What Guides Us

Our core values

Volunteerism

The heart and soul of WPESS. We value every volunteer and encourage volunteerism among stakeholders, children, and youth.

Respect

We treat the people we serve as our most precious resource, empowering individuals and fostering leadership.

Integrity & Accountability

We take personal responsibility for using resources efficiently and achieving measurable results.

Professionalism

Thorough knowledge of our field, demonstrated skill, and high ethical standards in everything we do.

Equity & Fairness

Guiding our work with marginalized groups, including the girl child and children with disabilities.

Innovativeness

Encouraging our team to develop new, adaptable approaches to reach our goals.

Our Story

Peace, in practice: Magwi County

Football pitch

In March 2025, WPESS organized a "Sport for Peace" football tournament held over two days in Obbo Payam, Magwi County, one of the areas hardest hit by conflict, marked by insecurity, mistrust, and displacement. 325 players from six neighboring bomas took part, including 150 women, alongside 25 community leaders and more than 1,000 spectators.

It's a small, concrete example of how we work: bring divided communities together around something everyone can share, give women equal footing to participate, and let trust rebuild from there. The tournament was supported by GIZ South Sudan through the Community-Driven Rural Development (CDRD) project, funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

See our programs →

Our Team

Leadership

WPESS is guided by an Executive Director, an elected Board of Trustees, and a multi-skilled management team.

Anyek Rose John Oling

Executive Director. Leads WPESS's strategy and day-to-day operations, and has guided the organization's growth since its founding in 2019.

Board of Trustees

WPESS's top governance body: a diverse group of elected members and volunteers. The current Board Chair is a qualified teacher with extensive experience in girl-child education.

Management & Technical Team

A multi-skilled team covering health, finance, monitoring & evaluation, human resources, and programming, steering WPESS toward its mission.

WPESS is a registered organization in South Sudan (Reg. No. 5357).

Want to work with us?

Whether you're a partner organization, donor, or volunteer, we'd love to hear from you.

Get in Touch
Location Magwi County, Eastern Equatoria State, South Sudan
Send Email [email protected]
Call Us +211 922 307 393