Wide environmental portrait of a South Sudanese woman leader standing in the Sudd wetlands at golden hour, looking confidently toward the horizon, warm natural sunlight, 35mm film, rich earth tones
Wide environmental portrait of a South Sudanese woman leader standing in the Sudd wetlands at golden hour, looking confidently toward the horizon, warm natural sunlight, 35mm film, rich earth tones

A grassroots movement redefining environmental conservation through a feminist lens in South Sudan.

The Movement for Organic and Vulnerable Ecosystems (MOVE) was born out of a profound necessity to protect South Sudan’s rich yet fragile natural heritage. From the vast Sudd wetlands to critical migratory corridors and dense equatorial forests, our country holds some of Africa's most ecologically significant landscapes. However, these ecosystems face unprecedented threats from climate strain, habitat destruction, and systemic degradation.

As we looked at these challenges, a striking reality became clear: rural and indigenous women are the primary resource managers and keepers of traditional ecological knowledge, yet they are systematically left out of the decision-making rooms. MOVE was founded to bridge this exact gap. We believe that true, lasting ecosystem restoration can only be achieved when local women are positioned as equal leaders and equal stewards of the land.

Our Core Values (What Guides MOVE)

The Values that Move Us

  • Ecological Integrity: We are fiercely committed to defending biodiversity, restoring degraded habitats, and promoting organic, nature-positive solutions that protect our planet's future.

  • Feminist & Intersectional Leadership: We actively dismantle barriers to gender equity, centering the lived experiences, rights, and distinct voices of grassroots women in everything we do.

  • Community Sovereignty: We believe the true owners of conservation are the communities themselves. Our approach is entirely localized, collaborative, and built from the ground up.

  • Indigenous Knowledge: We honor, document, and protect traditional ecological wisdom, recognizing it as a vital scientific asset in navigating modern climate vulnerabilities.

The Team

Strategy & Directorship

  • Name: Awut Deng

  • Title: Executive Director

  • Short Bio: A dedicated South Sudanese changemaker specializing in grassroots advocacy, non-profit management, and strategic development within climate-stressed regions. She guides MOVE’s vision, ensuring our initiatives remain deeply rooted in local communities while operating with high standards of compliance and international transparency.

Community Operations & Rights

  • Name: Kiden Jada

  • Title: Head of Community Programs & Gender Justice

  • Short Bio: An experienced grassroots organizer specializing in women's empowerment and customary land rights in South Sudan. She leads our on-the-ground training, builds local women-led environmental monitoring committees, and strengthens community protection networks.

Ecology & Indigenous Wisdom

  • Name: Nyayan Chuol

  • Title: Lead Ecologist & Traditional Knowledge Specialist

  • Short Bio: An expert in South Sudanese biodiversity and indigenous resource management. She oversees our community tree nurseries, native seed-banking programs, and the formal documentation of generational, women-led ecological wisdom.

Community Engagement & Male Allyship

  • Name: Yasona Oliver Lawrenec

  • Title: Community Mobilization & Logistics Officer

  • Short Bio: A dedicated advocate for gender-inclusive conservation. Emmanuel leads our local community outreach, working closely with traditional leaders and male community members to foster allyship, secure local buy-in, and ensure safe, smooth project logistics across rural landscapes.

We combine ancestral ecological knowledge with rigorous, verifiable conservation metrics to satisfy the highest standards of international donors.

100% Local Leadership

Direct Funding Flow

Verifiable Metrics

Our board and field directors are South Sudanese women who live and work in the target ecosystems, ensuring deep community trust.

We maintain a transparent, direct-to-community funding model that minimizes administrative overhead and puts resources where they matter.

Every seed planted and hectare restored is mapped and tracked using rigorous field surveys, offering clear proof of impact to our partners.

Partner With Us

Partner with local leaders

We partner with international foundations, trusts, and global donors to scale women-led restoration in South Sudan.