My name is Jozela Nejua, and I am 25 years old. I am a mother to a four-year-old boy. I live in Hai Tacha, Yei River County, South Sudan, but I was born in Khartoum, Sudan. We moved to South Sudan in 2008. I already spoke Arabic at that time, which helped a bit, but adjusting to a new country was challenging. I had to adapt to a different environment, learn a new culture, and make new friends.
I resumed my education and advanced to Primary 7 but ultimately had to drop out due to a lack of school fees. Despite this setback, my mother worked extra hard and enrolled me back in school so I could finish my primary education. Thanks to her efforts, I successfully completed primary school and joined high school.
In 2020, during my second year of high school, I became pregnant. It was an overwhelming experience, and I felt lost. I struggled to see a way forward, and I couldn’t talk to anyone. Eventually, I decided to drop out of school again, which shattered my hopes of returning to class and completing my education. I gave birth, and most of my days were spent caring for my baby. To provide for us, I started a small cake business.
After my son turned three, I joined the WfWI - Stronger Women, Stronger Nation (SWSN) program, which has been a rewarding experience.
Being back in class has brought me so much joy. I’ve met incredible women who understand what it’s like to face challenges like dropping out of school or dealing with an unexpected pregnancy.
Even though many of them are older than I am, they have created a supportive and nurturing environment where I feel safe and understood. It’s comforting to know that I’m not alone on this journey.
With the support and encouragement from the incredible women in my class and our trainers, I’ve discovered how to start my own business, save money with a savings group, and, most importantly, build my confidence. Before joining this program, I often felt alone in facing my challenges, and it was hard for me to open up and share my experiences with others. Now, I find it so much easier to connect with my classmates and share what I’ve been through. It’s truly amazing to feel this sense of community and understanding.
Along with sharing our personal struggles, we have also been trained to recognize and address issues within our community. For example, if we observe someone being mistreated, we immediately assist them and work towards finding a solution.
Today, I am a proud mother, an entrepreneur, and a referee. I have expanded my cake business in Yei and enrolled in referee training. I've loved football since I was a young girl, and now I can referee matches in Yei. I'm proud in being one of the few female referees in South Sudan.
Currently, I officiate primary and high school matches in Yei. I look forward to officiating national matches and graduating from the WfWI program.
