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Career Development and Consultancy Services (CDCS)-Profile

Introduction

This document provides a snap-shot of the origin, development and growth of Career Development and Consultancy Services also herein abbreviated as CDCS. CDCS is a business entity founded by a group of two South Sudanese individuals with distinct academic backgrounds, work experiences and interaction with communities, religious institutions, government institutions, national and international non-governmental organizations and business owners at different levels. The idea of establishing this firm was conceived way back after the duo completed their first degrees from Makerere University, Kampala-Uganda. However, the idea could not be put in practice until October 2012 when a contemplative meeting was held resulting to consolidating the name to Career Development and Consultancy Services (CDCS) and subsequently its vision, mission, goal, objectives, values, , and motto among others.

Background

Over the past years, the then Southern Sudan (now independent South Sudan) had been at war with the Khartoum regime under the name Sudan. As a result, many people left the country abroad while others got displaced within prior to the signing of the comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA 2005). Many people lost their lives during the fights either directly or indirectly. Many also had their formal and informal education advantages interrupted. Children who had started going to school with high moral and aspirations of becoming doctors, lawyers, pilots etc. had their hopes screwed because they could not get access to the desired education in order to further their careers of choice. A few however managed to continue with their formal education while in diaspora.

Given the relative peace and the subsequent independence of the Republic of South Sudan, refugees and IDPs started to return to their respective places of origin or choice. As a matter of fact,

many of those who acquired education especially abroad ushered in new skills in various fields that are helpful in reconstructing and developing the new nation – The Republic of South Sudan. Nevertheless, there were huge challenges that were inherited from Sudan and these include; high illiteracy rates, low levels of incomes, lack of skills for formal and informal employment opportunities, high level of foreign influx with relatively enterprising skills leading to reduced space for available formal employment opportunities, lack of direction to students studying in-country on their potential future careers and many others.

Worse of all, South Sudan went to war with itself on the 15^th of December 2013. This was a result of political misunderstanding within the leadership of the ruling political party –SPLM. While the civil population rejoiced considering the ultimate independence of South Sudan wherein many were strategizing to settle and undertake their various plans following the previous war, this second war intensified and again had severe effects on the people. Thus, it drove a good number of South Sudanese yet to the neighbouring countries as refugees and others displaced within the Country. Instead of overcoming the previous challenges resulting from the war between SPLM/A and the Khartoum regime, this war ushered in a repeat of problems such as poor education services, hunger, poor health services, insecurity and poor infrastructure among others.

These challenges (now a combination of the pre-independence and post-independence) require a robust indigenous undertaking with clear and strategic cooperation and collaboration with the external partners that could guide the mushrooming population especially of; students, business entrepreneurs and various professional fields as well as the government institutions to make appropriate choices that will positively influence their lives leading to sustainable socio-economic and political development of the individuals as well as the new nation of South Sudan.

Structure of CDCS