Promoting Agritech in South Sudan: UNITAR Alum Kuena James

James’s journey took a transformative turn when he responded to a call to join the UNITAR programme Great Ideas Space 2023: Entrepreneurship and Innovation Promoting Health Security and Economic Development. The programme began with online training sessions for 326 learners from South Sudan.

By the end of the online phase, James was selected as one of the top 19 participants and invited to join the in-person training in Tokyo and Hiroshima, Japan. The visit to Japan took him to Hiroshima and Tokyo, and James gained invaluable insights into project management, risk mitigation and entrepreneurial resilience.

The UNITAR programme taught James how to operationalize his agritech project. He says he learned not just theory, but practical strategies to keep projects afloat. He plans to mechanize South Sudan’s agriculture using what he learned about project management, accounting for business and risk-taking.

The most memorable experience for James, though, was visiting the Hiroshima Peace Park. James says he was inspired by Hiroshima’s remarkable journey of recovery and success.

We've been hearing a lot of stories about the Peace Park and how the Japanese turned things around and became successful after the incident. So when we went there in person, we were inspired to keep on moving and also improve our country just like how Japan did."—Kuena James (South Sudan), UNITAR alum and agritech entrepreneur

Empowered by his UNITAR experience, James is ready to translate his newfound knowledge into tangible action. With a heartfelt message of gratitude to the Japanese government and people for their support, he is committed to taking decisive steps and creating meaningful change.