Who we are
The Initiative for Peace Communication Association (IPCA) is a South Sudanese non-profit and non-governmental organization focused on community-based solutions to create a more peaceful, just, and equitable South Sudan. Founded in 2010, IPCA is one of the largest and fastest-growing indigenous humanitarian, peace and development organizations in South Sudan.
IPCA works in regions across the country and on thematic issues including women’s empowerment and protection, peacebuilding and conflict mitigation, access to justice and rule of law, child protection, food security and livelihood development. IPCA is registered with the South Sudanese Ministry of Justice under registration No.1899, the Relief Rehabilitation Commission (RRC) under No.621 and in the South Sudan National NGO Forum.
“It’s not enough to tell a story.
We have to take action.”
– Joseph Edward Issa, IPCA Executive Director
While working as a journalist in 2010, during the struggle for South Sudanese independence, Joseph Edward made a visit to Boma State in the eastern part of South Sudan. When he arrived, intending to gather materials for a story about inter-communal violence, he was struck by the severity of the situation, the proliferation of armed groups, and the breakdown of the community. At the time there were no NGOs active in South Sudan, and Joseph realized that he could not simply return home to write the story of these people. He had to do something — and so IPCA was born, with the mission of bringing dialogue, community, and peace back to South Sudan.
Our Values
Honesty
We are committed to integrity throughout all aspects of our work and mission.
Impartiality
We do not discriminate according to nationality, race, gender, identity, religious beliefs, class or political opinions.
Accountability
We take pride in our work and constantly aim to reflect on our impact and evaluate our success.
Neutrality
Avoiding bias is essential to building trust, respect, and reliability in our work.
Our Mission
IPCA aims to build a thriving and viable society through humanitarian assistance, locally-based peacebuilding, recovery and socio-economic development.
The Initiative for Peace Communication Association (IPCA) was established in 2010 with a mandate to foster peace and development in South Sudan through innovative communications and community outreach programs that seek to create space for dialogue and employing homegrown mechanisms of addressing conflicts. Given the turbulent nature of the country right after independence in 2011, IPCA placed peacebuilding as its priority area, to promote peaceful coexistence between communities and to help create a viable society through humanitarian assistance and support for recovery and socio-economic development. IPCA works through partnerships with international, national and grassroots structures to boost its efforts and garner support and recognition as a prominent agent that advocates for change. Over the past years and in response to the shifting security context in the country, IPCA has expanded its reach and programs to adapt to the needs of the South Sudanese people, offering access to justice and legal services as well as livelihoods and food security programs that seek to bring resilience to vulnerable and conflict-affected communities.
Our Objectives
To strengthen the capability of South Sudanese towards conflict management, peacebuilding, shaping public policies, upholding rule of law, respecting human rights, and promoting democratic values in South Sudan.
To implement public health programs in South Sudan including primary health care, HIV/AIDS education, hygiene promotion, preventing malnutrition, water, sanitation and health infrastructure development.
To promote equity by empowering every South Sudanese to gain access to basic human needs and to enable them to live productively and with pride.
To build awareness in South Sudanese communities on issues such as corruption, free elections, equality, freedom of expression and free media.
Our Work
IPCA operates across South Sudan in regions including Western Equatoria, Central Equatoria, Eastern Equatoria, Jonglei, Western Bahr el Ghazal, and Lakes. Using community-based approaches, IPCA works in partnership with local and international organizations and UN agencies (UNHCR, UNDP, UNESCO and UNICEF) to foster effective local ownership and sustainability across its programs.
