Q1 FY2015 Quarterly Report / VISTAS

The conflict continued to be concentrated in Greater Upper Nile, particularly around the oil fields in Bentiu. However, the biggest impediment to the peace talks has not been the ongoing violence, but rather the parties' inability to compromise and demonstrate their sincerity. Despite this, VISTAS continued to successfully support a number of local peace processes and trading relationships in areas with national level significance. These included an expanding, but fragile, trade between southern Unity, western Jonglei, and Lakes states in the Wunlit region; preparations for the annual migration in Northern Bahr el Ghazal; and a commitment to peace between the Murle and Lou Nuer in Jonglei. VISTAS' efforts in these areas helped to promote stability and economic growth in regions critical to South Sudan's development. During the first quarter of FY15, VISTAS continued to hire additional staff, expand programming into new regions, and pick up the pace of activity clearance and implementation in preparation for the beginning of the 2015 dry season. A new office was opened in Bor, the process of establishing offices in Ganyliel and Malakal was initiated, and extensive research was conducted on conflict dynamics in the Equatorias in preparation for an expansion there. The program also implemented its first activities in cities, concentrated on UN Protection of Civilians camps, and learned about the unique challenges of implementing in situations requiring heavy consultations with other members of the international community. Following the Strategy Review Session in September, the program had a reinvigorated strategic direction and made significant investments of time and funds to build robust programming in the areas of trauma healing and media. As part of its continuing effort to develop new partners after the shift away from working with the government, the program provided significant support to build the capacity of key partners. For example, the program supported the establishment of a South Sudanese steering committee to help develop and manage its trauma healing work. It is envisioned that VISTAS' trauma healing program, known as Morning Star, will eventually become an independent entity led by this committee. The program also provided office space, furniture, internet service, short-term staffing support, among other assistance. During the reporting period, the program expanded and formalized its monitoring and evaluation framework, which included three levels of M&E: project-level, regional, and national. The program also made significant investments in personnel, including hiring additional staff and providing training and capacity-building opportunities for existing staff. In terms of financial information, the program continued to manage its budget effectively, with a focus on ensuring that resources were allocated efficiently and effectively to support program activities. The program also made significant investments in contract modifications and amendments, which helped to ensure that the program was aligned with the needs of the South Sudanese people. Overall, the first quarter of FY15 was a significant period for VISTAS, marked by a reinvigorated strategic direction, significant investments in programming and personnel, and a focus on building robust partnerships with key stakeholders. The program's efforts in these areas helped to promote stability and economic growth in regions critical to South Sudan's development, and laid the foundation for continued success in the coming quarters.