The campaign, set for launching after Independence Day celebrations, it aimed at eradicating gang activities in the capital, Juba and other notorious regions

By Emmanuel Mandella

In response to the alarming surge in gang violence across South Sudan, particularly in Juba, the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) has launched a national campaign aimed at dismantling gangsterism and rescuing vulnerable youth from the grip of criminal networks.

The campaign, titled Youth for Zero Gangsterism (YoZeGa), is set for official rollout after Independence Day on July 9, 2025. It seeks to curb the spread of gang culture by involving young people in productive, creative, and income-generating activities while rallying support from every sector of society.

In recent years, South Sudan has witnessed a disturbing rise in organized youth gangs. Groups bearing names such as Niggers and Toronto have transformed parts of Juba into zones of fear. These gangs have been linked to rampant theft, drug abuse, and increasingly violent crimes that have shaken communities to their core.

One of the most horrifying recent cases occurred in Sherikat, where a 16-year-old girl was brutally raped by eight gang members. The assault sparked nationwide outrage and underscored the urgent need for a coordinated and sustained response to gang-related violence.

“We can no longer remain silent while our youth are being consumed by gangsterism,” said Edmund Yakani, Executive Director of CEPO, during a press briefing in Juba. “YoZeGa is a youth-led, community-supported platform to take back our future from the hands of violence and lawlessness.”

The YoZeGa campaign is envisioned as a multi-stakeholder initiative. It will involve youth organizations, government institutions at both national and state levels, United Nations agencies, foreign embassies, civil society groups, private sector actors, and community leaders. A central objective is to transform former gang members into peace ambassadors and agents of positive change.

The campaign will provide alternatives to crime by offering youth social camps, life skills and vocational training, mentorship and coaching, recreational activities in sports, music, and the arts, as well as opportunities for volunteer work and exposure visits.

CEPO is not starting from scratch. In the past two to three years, the organization has successfully rehabilitated gang-affiliated youth in Wau, transforming them into productive community-based groups. The YoZeGa campaign aims to build on this model and scale it across the country.

“Our approach is not to isolate the youth but to integrate them into society through purpose and opportunity,” Yakani said. “We will empower them to become the authors of their own transformation.”

Gang culture in South Sudan is rooted in complex social challenges, including broken families, widespread unemployment, lack of access to education, and the absence of safe recreational spaces. If left unaddressed, these conditions could feed long-term instability and threaten the country’s fragile peace and development efforts.

YoZeGa will initially focus on areas like Juba, where gang recruitment has become aggressive and far-reaching. By creating real opportunities for economic empowerment and creative expression, CEPO hopes to divert at-risk youth before they are lost to criminal life.

The campaign will also work closely with the media and schools to amplify anti-gang messages and highlight inspiring stories of youth who have chosen a better path.

“Let’s give our young people a reason to choose hope over violence, dignity over fear, and creativity over crime,” Yakani concluded. “YoZeGa is more than a campaign. It is a call to reclaim a generation.”

CEPO invites all who wish to partner with or support the campaign to visit their offices in Juba or connect through their social media platforms.