In commemoration of this year’s International Women’s Day, Talk of Juba and its sister publication Hot in Juba are jointly releasing an inaugural “40 Under 40 South Sudanese women leaders” list.
In a male dominated country like South Sudan where society view women as property and source of wealth, the Talk of Juba’s 40 Under 40 Years South Sudanese Women Leaders lists brings you young women who have defied all odds and kept their heads high to make their voices heard.
This is an inaugural list of what is going to be our annual selection of the most influential and progressive young woman who have left a mark in South Sudan in all sectors.
In the list are entrepreneurs, innovators, artistes, corporate high-fliers, businesswomen, architects, law, finance and medical professionals, academics and researchers, techies, sportswomen, politicians, activists, philanthropists and more.
Read on to meet the innovators, disruptors and defiers and prepare to be inspired.
????. ???????????? ????????????????????
Some people describe her as the eye of the youth in parliament and her fellow parliamentarians as just other South Sudanese, for they are recycled “Honourables.”
She is one of the youngest Members of the Revitalised National Transitional Legislative Assembly (RTNLA).
Hon. Yar Telar Ring Deng, the daughter of the late Amb. Telar Ring Deng. Besides being a youthful M.P., she is the recipient of the African Youth Badge Honor Awardee.
????. ???????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????????
Another shining light in South Sudanese politics, the 26-year-old Margaret was appointed a member of R.T.N.L.A. on SSOA’s ticket in 2021 but her appointment was later revoked under unclear circumstances.
She is a recipient of iChange Nations award for her support, commitment and contribution to South Sudan. Putting her at par with former recipients like Yoweri Museveni, Kenya’s seasoned diplomat Kalonzo Musyoka and Uganda’s First Lady Janet Museveni, among others.
????. ???????????????? ????????????????????????
Adut Bulgak is from the sports fraternity, a South Sudanese-Canadian professional basketball player in the Women’s National Basketball Association. She was drafted in 2016 to the New York Liberty. Bulgak played JUCO ball at Trinity Valley Community College.
Grew up in Sudan before her family emigrated from Kenya to Canada as refugees in 1998 when she was 6.
Moved from Manitoba to Saskatchewan before settling in Edmonton. Played volleyball in Canada before learning hoops and going on to participate in Canadian Nat’l Team system. She recently joined South Sudan National Women’s Basketball Team for the FIBA AfroBasket Women’s Championship as the national team’s captain. She currently plays professional basketball in Israel.
????. ???????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????
As her second name depicts, she hails from Wau, and she is a no-nonsense feminist activist who has done it all. From organizing fellow women to do patriotic services like cleaning of hospitals and sensitizing women about their exclusive rights, she has done them all. She has served as CEPO facilitator in Wau and Bahr el Ghazal region.
????. ???????????????????? ????????????????
Alith Cyer Mayar is a writer, poet and activist. She was born in 1997 in Khartoum, Sudan, and grew up in different places as Uganda and South Sudan. She attended the Sudan Academy for Medical and Technological Studies training as a nurse. During that time, she volunteered for different hospitals and clinics.
She is the author of two published books, “The Cry of the South Sudanese Children” and “The Battle Within Me” which she launched in the first week of December 2019. She founded the Writers Writing Fellowship, which runs online workshops with South Sudanese youth on story writing and countering intercommunal prejudice, stereotyping and hatred.
A peacebuilder and civil rights activist, she declared: “Writing is so powerful it can change the type of human the reader becomes“.
????. ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????????
30-year-old Judith holds Bachelor’s Degree in Democracy and Development Studies and Diploma in Public Administration and Management from Uganda Martyrs University and St. Lawrence University respectively. She currently works for DT-GLOBAL.
She is a Co-host of the Daniel Mwaka Youth Show, a live audience program for young people to convene and discuss amongst themselves, as well as listen to some of our country’s leaders. The topics that feature on the show range from economic, social, and political aspects of the country, with an aim to shape the actions of the youth positively. The show also responds to issues affecting young people and provides a platform for them to contribute to the affairs of the country.
She is also a radio presenter on City FM and on Saturdays she hosts the business focus program – a program that focuses on business tips, investment and also conversations around the economy.
????. ???????????????????????????? ????????????????????????
She doesn’t need any introduction, she has featured in our previous twenty influental South Sudanese of 2022 for her social media influence and empowerment of South Sudanese businesses on digital sphere. She is a multi-media journalist and one of the few female social media influencers in the country.
????. ???????????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????
31-year-old Human Rights Advocate, Founder of Opportunities for South Sudanese Initiative online platform for accessing opportunities and that supports livelihood activities and youth vocational and mentorship training.
She is currently working with Nonviolent Peace force as a Program Manager and previously worked as Executive Director for South Sudan Women’s Empowerment Network; during her period at SSWEN she trained over 80 women parliamentarians on Constitution Making processes and Legislation Priorities and she conducted different activities of Youth and Women peacebuilding in Pibor, Lakes State, Central Equatoria and Western Bahr Ghazal.
Ms. Adeng Leek has over 8 years of experience within and outside South Sudan. She worked for the African Union Commission in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for the period of 4 years (2017-2021) and she was one of the observers during the peace talks in 2018. She was also a member of the Technical Committee for the establishment of the Commission for truth, healing and reconciliation as mandated by chapter 5 of the R-ARCSS , member of the transitional justice working group.
Lastly, in 2021; she had been awarded as the Most Influential People of African Descent under 35years which is a global civil society initiative in support of the International Decade for People of African Descent, proclaimed by United Nation’s General Assembly resolution 68/237 and to be observed from 2015 to 2024.
????. ???????????????????? ????????????????
If your looking for an iron lady, Maura fits your profile.
An Alumni of the International Women Media Foundation 2017 and the Pan African Female Journalists Conference (Les Panafricanies) in Morocco 2018 to present. Besides her many hats, this baby bodied multi-media journalist even got an award from the Civil Society body-Community Empowerment for Progress Organisation (CEPO) for holding the presidential guards accountable for committing sexual assault against women and girls on her own.
????????. ???????????????? ???????????????????????????? ????????????????????
FIFA Pilot Project Coordinator and Member of Board of Directors for South Sudan Football Association.
she is the only woman to have broken the glass ceiling in the men dominion of football administration. She did it professionally by achieving all the required qualifications by FIFA, making her the envy of most men at South Sudan Football Association.
????????. ???????????????????????????????? ????????????????
If her name doesn’t sound familiar, just remember that Minagano is the South Sudanese girl who gave birth to a poetry book instead of a human baby in January 2022.
“I felt pregnant while writing uncaging, my afro-centric poetry book. I didn’t know whether to abort or not, but somehow,I managed to deliver it”, she joked during the uncaging launch.
As a poet, she won the praise of renowned literature professor Taban Lo-Liyong who referred to uncaging as an award-winning book if only we know where to send it. Such remarks made her a respected poet in literary circles.
????????. ???????????????????? ????????????????
Viola Riak is a Social Scientist and Gender Activist from South Sudan. She is currently UNFPA Gender Analyst based in Juba with over eight years of experience in peacebuilding, conflict resolution/transformation and gender equality.
Ms. Riak champions prevention and response to gender-based Violence, including child marriage, in South Sudan. She is a strong advocate on issues of sexual reproductive health services, including the right to access family planning.
Ms. Riak holds a Master of Social Sciences in Social Development from the University of Cape Town (UCT) and a Bachelor of Arts in Community Development from Daystar University.
????????. ???????????????? ????????????????????
She is described by many as a vital figure in the media in South Sudan, using her platform to advocate for democratic reforms & keep the public informed. She is the chairperson Board of Directors for South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation.
She also works as the director of the Catholic Radio Network, a faith-based organization consisting of several community-based radio stations in South Sudan. From January 2016-August 2021, she served as the chairperson of the Association for Media Development (AMDISS), a member-based association for independent media houses.
????????. ???????????????? ???????????????????? ????????????????????????????
She founded the National Alliance of Women Lawyers to provide women with legal services and fair access to justice. Among other things, they collaborate with police officers and prison officials in organizing weekly visits to several police stations and prison cells as part of their research and outreach. They identify women, girls and children who have been arbitrarily detained and have no legal counsel to represent them and provide free legal aid services.
????????. ???????????????? ???????????????? ????????????????
Ayak is the Programme Officer for the Peace Process Support Team at Inclusive Peace.
Her work mainly focuses on identifying and supporting enabling environments for negotiations, mediation, and dialogues and facilitating these processes. Before joining inclusive Peace, Ayak was Head of Research at the South Sudan Strategic Defense and Security Review Board and Deputy Coordinator for the Civil Society Delegation to the South Sudan Peace Talks.
With her media background, she worked as a Political Analyst for the Ayin Network-Nuba Reports partnership sponsored by USAID to document the ongoing conflict in the Nuba Mountains, Blue Nile, and the Darfur Regions of Sudan.
????????. ???????????????????????? ????????????????
Managing Editor 211 check
Marina is a social impact enthusiast, development advocacy journalist and feminist. A believer in youth empowerment through exposure and availing resources that support creativity. Previously, she was a broadcast journalist, public relations officer, communication strategist and project manager for several local NGOs in South Sudan. She is a graduate of Mass Communication and Master in Media Arts to further effective media production in Communication for development.
Its also worth reminding you that Marina Modi is the woman who took on Juba Electricity Distribution Company (JEDCO) cartels single-handedly. Even the dirty cells of Juba’s police stations failed to intimidate her. At last, she paid the appropriate bill instead of the inflated one.
????????. ???????????????? ????????????????????
Yine Yenki Nyika is Co-Founder and Mentorship Director of “GoGirls ICT Initiative”. Founded by a group of dedicated young South Sudanese women, the initiative aims to engage, educate and empower women and girls in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics. Yine has also involved the GoGirls in MYWorld2030, a global survey aiming to raise awareness about the Sustainable Development Goals, map priorities among citizens, and help decision-makers understand citizen perceptions and preferences.
Yenki is a also a board member of the National Communication Authority (NCA).
????????. ???????????????????????? ????????????????????
Adhieu wears many hats, but interestingly all on merit.
Apart from being a former Managing Editor for Talk of Juba, she is a biologist turned activist.
She is a staunch advocate of peace and gender-based Violence, and girl child education, besides being a prolific writer.
????????. ???????????????? ????????????????????????
Nunu Diana Alison is the founder and executive director of young positives south Sudan, a national non-governmental organization. They work to bring together young men and women in South Sudan to accelerate the prevention, care and support services for young people living with HIV/AIDS to inform advocacy for their human rights. She is a champion of girl child education and passionate about women’s equal rights.
She is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s degree in social work and social administration in Uganda.
????????. ???????????????????????? ????????????????????
Everything good keeps following Rachel Hakim. Last year, she featured in the list of Hot in Juba’s 20 influential South Sudanese. Today, she is among the “40 under 40.” All this recognition comes from her winning a regional innovation award.
She is an entrepreneur who developed an online streaming platform – GoGo Play, a video streaming platform that hosts South Sudanese entertainment contests such as music, drama, events, and cultural shows.
????????. ???????????????????????? ????????????????????
It is common for individuals to award themselves ministerial titles in South Sudan. Most of you heard titles like Young Minister, His Excellency etc. However, Asunta Anuer is not the self–rewarding type of minister common among people of her age. She is a proper minister appointed by a decree. At the age of 27, she becomes the youngest and perhaps the last Minister for Health and Environment in the defunct
Ruweng State. For all the young girls with political ambitions, go for it because age is not a barrier.
Just get motivated that you want to be the next Asunta, who also doubles as the Deputy Secretary for Sports, SPLM Youth League.
????????. ???????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????????
To many, she is the true meaning of lying low and focusing on your job. The first female Press Secretary of the head of State, H.E Salva Kiir Mayardit, Lily Adhieu, is less vocal than her predecessor, but her proximity to the number one citizen automatically makes her influential if not powerful.
Lily Adhieu Manyiel holds a Bachelor Degree in Political Science and Masters in International Law, International Relations from the University of East London and University of Texas respectively.
Lily Adhieu speaks fluent English, Kiswahilli and Classical Arabic.
She worked as the focal person / coordinator for all projects of the Ministry of Labour Public Service & HRD – World Bank, USAID (PROGRESS) DFID, CBTF, JDT and ADB in 2013.
She was also the representative of South Sudan in the International Labour Organization -Geneva Switzerland from 2013, focal person for the performance management system between the Government of Kenya and Government of Republic of South Sudan from 2012 as well as the deputy Secretary General Twic Mayardit community in 2012.
????????. ???????????????????????????? ???????????????? ????????????????
Yolanda Awel Deng is a politician currently the minister of Health, in the South Sudan Transitional Government of National Unity cabinet as of 2022.
Yolanda Awel graduated with Bachelor Degree in Psychology from the University Saskatchewan and later a Master’s Degree in Conflict Analysis and Management from Royal Road University in Canada.
She was Appointed by President Salva Kiir as the South Sudan National Minister for Health in March 2022 through the ticket of South Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-In Opposition (SPLM-IO) replacing Elizabeth Achuei.
Yolanda Awel Deng married Agel Ring Machar, the former Press Secretary in the office of the then former First Vice President, Taban Deng Gai in 2016. She is a mother of four children, two boys and two girls. She is a true example of how you can hold high public offices without sacrificing your marital duty of giving birth. Todays, young girls can learn a lot from her experience of juggling between factional SPLM politics and parenting.
????????. ???????????????? ????????????????
Abul Oyay is a South Sudanese painter living between South Sudan and Kenya. Her work depicts the struggle of South Sudanese from the early ‘90s to present. She is inspired by the strong women around her, observing motherhood: raising children on their own, while the men were on the front line. The founder of Boabab House.
She showcases the pieces of various artists and attracts individuals who want to taste another side of South Sudan.
????????. ???????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????????
Besides being the daughter of our founding father, she has made a name for herself in film. Akuol de Mabior Garang is a South Sudanese filmmaker based in Nairobi, Kenya. She has directed one feature-length film and four shorts.
No Simple Way Home, her feature-directorial debut, had its world premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival in February 2022 becoming the first South Sudanese film to screen at the celebrated event.
The film has gone on to win the prestigious Dok.horizonte award at Dok.fest in Munich, best African documentary and the Adiaha Award for best documentary by an African woman both at Encounters South Africa.
????????. ???????????????? ????????????????????
Abul Manyuon Mayen dreamt of changing the world through science as her family moved from South Sudan to Ethiopia, then Kenya, and eventually to Australia, in search of good life and education for their children.
Ms Mayen went on to get a Bachelor of Medical Science and a masters degree in pharmacy. She worked as a registered pharmacist for more than two years until the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
Having experienced the transformation education can bring first-hand, Ms Mayen, along with some of her friends, founded the Twic East Girls Scholarship Program, a charity which is educating academically promising girls in Kenya. She says society should invest in the girls’ education, not their dowries. Wow!
????????. ???????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????
Josephine Kiden is an inspirational young woman who has overcome many challenges in her life. She was born with hearing defects, but that didn’t stop her from pursuing her dream of modeling.
The first deaf model to represent South Sudan at international pageants, Josephine’s story is an uplifting one that will inspire others around the world.
In 2021, she won Miss Deaf Africa, a beauty pageant held in Tanzania.
In addition to being a model, Miss Kiden is also an activist who advocates for deaf education and makes motivational videos about it.
She is known for being both resilient and having an infectious smile.
Last year, she was shot by unknown gunman in Juba and was flown to Nairobi for medical attention courtesy of the presidency.
????????. ???????????????????????????? ????????????????????
She is what you can refer to as a born teacher. She is an independent journalist and the information officer at the General Secretariat in Warrap State. But, she is more influential for her passionate teaching skills at University of Juba. If you put all her three positions in perspective, her network can unlock any office in the land.
????????. ???????????????? ???????????????????????????? ????????????????????
As the executive Director of African Indigenous Women Empowerment (AIWE), she has empowered over 200 women with life skills to earn a living. In a lay man’s cliche, she has shown 200 women how to fish.
The organization gained its legal status in July 2018 and its programs are geared towards reducing the suffering of the most vulnerable groups through emergency response, implementing programs and projects which assist communities affected by conflict and war to recover and improve.
????????. ???????????????????? ????????????????????????
Religiously, they say giving is caring and Adeng is rigt at the top of the list of those who wanna see fellow Junubin’s succeed.
Her social’s are full of opportunities from her various networks, which she does not only share, but also encourages and guides people on how o apply for it.
She is a Multimedia Journalist, Lecturer at the University of Juba, a Fact Checker and the Founder of Eagle Multimedia and Advertising Company Ltd.
????????. ???????????????? ????????????????????
She is the chairperson of the Female Journalist Network and is head of the Media Development Institute (MDI), a training wing of AMDISS
She has initiated, with the support of various NGOs, the training and mentorship of female journalists and young women leaders.
Ms Ayaa has also organized media awards encouraging professional journalism among female and male journalists. A prevalent figure in the country’s media circles, especially the graduates of MDI.
????????. ???????????????????? ???????????????? ????????????????????
She is an entrepreneur, a businesswoman, civil society activist, a philanthropist and a mentor.
With over ten years of good management, advocacy and leadership experience. Her multifaceted experience cuts across three distinct sectors: Government, Private Sector and NGO.
Her most recent position was Office Manager at the Office of the President in the Republic of South Sudan. As Office Manager reporting to the Executive Director, she drove critical operational functions and general office management duties. She was also in charge of the executive’s diary and scheduled meetings for the President. In addition, she supervised, trained, evaluated and motivated staff.
Atong was successful in streamlining internal processes and planning procedures. Atong was also in charge of taking notes and compiling minutes of meetings between the President of the Republic, H.E. Salva Kiir Mayardit and other heads of State and Government, foreign dignitaries as well as with senior government officials in the Government of the Republic of South Sudan. She also played an integral role as part of Executive Secretariat which coordinates and follow-ups, communication, policies and agenda of the Government from the Office of the President to other government ministries, agencies and departments.
????????. ???????????????????????? ????????????
It’s no longer comedy but a true public consideration that the name of your village, the name of the school you went to and the neighbourhood you live in will determine your degree of success.
No wonder you cannot expect a Harvard graduate like Nyagoa Tut to be your ordinary girl on the streets of Juba.
Always, quiet and reserved; one can hardly notice her influence. However, her publications as a Human Rights researcher for South Sudan favour nobody, miss no location in the country and arouses mixed emotions among all South Sudanese and beyond.
Before joining Human’s Right Watch, she worked with Amnesty International as campaigner on Sudan and South Sudan. Like every small beginning, Nyagoa is that small girl who started working at home as a paralegal in South Sudan’s Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs. She, later on, moved to an advocacy role at the South Sudan Law Society before going International.
????????. ???????????????? ????????????????
Her face isn’t familiar like her voice, but Ayen Bior’s name comes to mind immediately you are asked to name the few seasoned female South Sudanese Journalists. She joined Voice of America’s English to Africa service in May 2015 as a Washington-based multimedia reporter. A versatile journalist working in radio, television and digital, Ayen is a regular contributor to VOA Africa coverage, with her work appearing on South Sudan in Focus, Africa 54 and Africa News Tonight. She was the social media correspondent for English to Africa’s flagship program, Straight Talk Africa. She also oversees the social media strategy for South Sudan in Focus’ social media pages.
Ayen has reported on the revolution in Sudan, the developing state of affairs in South Sudan. The experiences of women behind the headlines in the two Sudan’s. Currently, she is a co-host on VOA’s show “Our Voices,” an all-female panel that seeks to heighten African stories’ importance to the forefront of the news.
????????. ???????????????????? ????????????????????
Media Personality, Facebook comedian and an entrepreneur.
Rachael Alek Aguer is a Professional Journalist, Mother & Entrepreneur who had different businesses apart from her Current Fruits Business whose location is at Giada-Custom Junction of University of Juba and other branches across the City.
Alek has also worked at different Media Institutions including Print Medias. She has been posting on her social media pages for an informative, sometimes controversial often life-changing quotes and jokes (comics) that the South Sudanese have so positively and negatively received on Social Media which made her so famous.
????????. ???????????????? ???????????????? ????????????????????????????
It should not be surprising when SPLM and its affiliate parties refuse to amend the Transitional Constitution to give women a 50-50 political share in the country. The main reason is simple, “Fear Factor”. Most of the ageing male big wigs of SPLM and their ever-chanting money-hungry youth league comrades are not as brilliant as the quiet women of this country who tend to focus on action and logic.
Who would have imagined a woman as a senior legal director at the most potent & valuable company in the country i.e Nilepet. For the record, 75% of graduates in this country are willing to take up cleaning positions at Nilepet just for the financial benefit that comes with it.
No wonder a simple inquiry about Apuk Deng Cyerdit, raises a lot of eyebrows because she got the job on merit, and her word is equivalent to power as it is derived from logic and knowledge. Men fear facing her at NilePet for fear of getting lectured by her. Some even rumor that if NilePet is to ever get a female Managing Director, its got to be her.
????????. ???????????????????? ????????????????????????
Mostly mistaken for a carribean girl because of her African inspired dressing style, Dr. Koiti is the true definition of a professional juggler. If you only know of her role as the youth representative to Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission, then be informed that this girl who resembles Bob Marley’s offsprings doesn’t tolerate your everyday nonsense against women and girls.
With Dr. Koiti, one can quickly run out of adjectives, respected as a keen and intelligent negotiator, she has evaded most pitfalls that comes with activism while remaining active and influential.
Perhaps the more reason, young girls, women and every Junubi should be enquiring, “how does she play the game?”
????????. ???????????????? ????????????????
Finding a professional athlete with managerial traits is very rare, luckily enough South Sudan is blessed to have one. Arek Deng might be the sister of the famous Luol Deng, but in reality,she is a woman of her own.
Born in 1983, she became a professional basketball player, following in the footsteps of the elder brother before moving into management.
She is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Luol Deng foundation. She was personally responsible for most of the behind the scenes activities that saw the bright stars qualify for their first World Cup.
????????. ???????????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????
The founder of Gender Talk 211 and the current gender adviser at Likikiri’s ReStorying South Sudan project, she describes herself as a fierce feminist whose work for gender equality, women empowerment and peaceful coexistence between men and women, tribes and political parties shine bright like snow.
She is a graduate of Makerere University with Bachelor of Economic Development (Hons) and has participated in number of international programs of which she is current generation Change Fellow as well as YALI program Alumni.
????????. ???????????????? ????????????????????????
Some people in this world are trained for the job, but Hiba Morgan is the type you can say is made or born for the job. She is a reporter/ producer covering South Sudan, Sudan and Cameroon. She has been working with AlJazeera English for years now, including as a Deputy News Editor at the network headquarters in Doha. Hardly seen in public unless there’s news, you wonder if she follows news or news follows her.
Most people refer to her as the woman who’s in her own bubble.
She focuses mostly on the impact of conflict on free speech and media, she has reported on the issues affecting media freedom in South Sudan and Sudan. She is currently based in Sudan where she has been covering the anti-government protests since December.
Despite living in her own bubble, the impact of her work has transcended boarders.