In Juba, where rebuilding is not a slogan but a daily task, a young woman is choosing to start with food. Not as charity, not as symbolism but as business. Sarah Alfonso, founder of Olexa Sustainability Organisation, has secured a $6,000 grant from the Nichols Humanitarian Fund at Vanderbilt University to train 10 young South Sudanese in culinary skills, sustainability and entrepreneurship. Her project, Sustainable Culinary Pathways to Peace, is grounded in a simple belief that opportunity restores dignity. For a country still navigating recovery, her initiative places youth and women at the center of economic renewal and invites them to build peace with their own hands.
The one month initiative will be carried out in partnership with Denis Cafe, Women’s Initiative for Rural Development and Olexa Sustainability Organisation. It will provide intensive culinary, sustainability and micro entrepreneurship training for 10 young men and women in Juba.
Sarah described the opportunity as both an honor and a responsibility. “I am deeply honored to share that I have been selected as a 2026 recipient of the Nichols Humanitarian Fund at Vanderbilt University, receiving $6,000 to implement my summer project in Juba, South Sudan,” she said.
The project is designed to equip participants with practical skills that can translate into income. Training will cover traditional and international cuisines, business development, low waste cooking methods and urban farming. By the end of the program, participants are expected to be ready to launch small food businesses or seek employment in restaurants and catering services. Top performers will receive seed funding and mentorship support to help them move from training to enterprise.
Linking Peace, Dignity and Enterprise
For Sarah, the project goes beyond skills development. As a South Sudanese student who has experienced displacement and reintegration challenges, she sees economic opportunity as central to long term peace.
“As a South Sudanese student and founder of Olexa Sustainability Organisation, this project is deeply personal,” she said. “Having experienced displacement and reintegration challenges firsthand, I understand that peace is more than the absence of violence, it is the presence of dignity, opportunity and economic stability.”
Her approach combines food, culture and sustainability. “Food carries culture. Sustainability builds resilience. Entrepreneurship creates independence. Together, they can cultivate peace,” she said.
South Sudan continues to face economic hardship and youth unemployment. By focusing on food entrepreneurship, the initiative addresses both livelihoods and community stability. Culinary businesses often require lower start up capital compared to other sectors, making them accessible to young people and women with limited resources.
The partnership model also strengthens the initiative. Denis Cafe will provide practical exposure to the food industry. Women’s Initiative for Rural Development will help ensure community engagement and support for female participants. Olexa Sustainability Organisation will anchor the environmental and sustainability components of the training.
Building Youth Leadership Through Sustainability
Olexa Sustainability Organisation is a youth led environmental initiative founded in Juba. It focuses on climate justice, environmental conservation and sustainable development. The organisation equips young people with knowledge, leadership skills and creative advocacy tools so they can become environmental ambassadors in their schools and communities.
Through climate focused creative writing workshops, school sustainability clubs and youth leadership mentorship programs, Olexa is building a network of environmentally conscious young leaders. The organisation currently operates in South Sudan and aims to expand its impact nationally and across Africa.
Sarah’s academic background supports this work. She is a Pre Law undergraduate at Vanderbilt University, triple majoring in Political Science, Environmental Sociology and Culture, Leadership and Advocacy, with a minor in Legal Studies. She hopes to pursue law school with a focus on international law and environmental justice. Her academic path reflects her interest in the link between law, society and the environment.
She is also a writer and public speaker with a strong interest in justice and advocacy. Her storytelling through songs, poems and articles feeds into her work with young people, encouraging open discussions about past and current challenges while focusing on positive change.
The Nichols Humanitarian Fund that is supporting her project was established in 2006 by the E.C. and Lucile Hamby Nichols Trust and Edward C. Nichols Jr. and his wife Janice Nichols. It serves as a companion scholarship fund to the Nichols Chancellor’s Medal. The fund encourages Vanderbilt students to volunteer for humanitarian efforts locally and internationally. It provides support for educational, travel and living expenses during their service.
By backing Sustainable Culinary Pathways to Peace, the fund is investing in a model that links youth empowerment, environmental awareness and economic independence. For the 10 young people who will take part in the training in Juba, the program offers more than new recipes. It offers a path to income, confidence and stability in a country that continues to rebuild.
