"We the willing, led by the unknowing, are doing the impossible for the ungrateful. We have done so much, with so little, for so long, we are now qualified to do anything, with nothing" By Konstantin Josef Jireček, a Czech historian, diplomat and slavist.
With potholes grinding traffic to near halt on one of nation’s main arteries, local youth do repairs in face of government inaction
Manyang David Mayar | On the Juba-Bor Road, South Sudan
Photo: Manyang David Mayar
Trucks and passengers wait while local youths repair potholes on the Juba-Bor road in South Sudan
The Juba-Bor road is one of the main land transport corridors in the new nation of South Sudan. But with the arrival of the rainy season, the road has become almost impassable to traffic. Dozens and possibly hundreds of vehicles, transporting goods and people from Juba and East Africa to Jonglei state are stuck along the roads worst stretches, causing large price hikes for goods in the state capital.
And while the government appears to be doing little to maintain the road, some youth in Bor are doing their best to fix up the most damaged parts of it, while earning some money along the way.
VOA’s Manyang David Mayar recently took a bumpy bus ride down this road. To hear his report, please click on the link below, or on that top right hand of the page.
PaanLuel Wël – Founder and Editor-in-Chief of PaanLuel Wël Media
PaanLuel Wël is the founder and editor-in-chief of PaanLuel Wël Media Ltd, a prominent news and commentary platform dedicated to covering the news, history, culture, literature, and socio-political affairs of South Sudan and the world. Established in July 2011, the website was born out of PaanLuel Wël’s vision to create a space for free expression and constructive dialogue during a pivotal moment in South Sudan’s history.
Through PaanLuel Wël Media, he has cultivated a vibrant intellectual forum that features a diverse range of voices, from poets, authors, and academics to activists, commentators, and community columnists. The platform is rooted in the belief that an informed and engaged citizenry is essential to the project of nation-building and social transformation.
PaanLuel Wël is a passionate advocate for the power of media to educate, empower, and connect people across political, ethnic, and generational divides. He is committed to fostering a culture of dialogue, tolerance, and inclusivity and is deeply invested in mentoring the next generation of South Sudanese writers and journalists.