These archives cover a wide range of historically, anthropologically and culturally relevant photographs and documents on, among other things, the (post-) colonial development of the region, the past two civil wars, the role of the CDTY and on the culture of the local Zande people. The archives are currently at risk because of the ongoing South Sudanese Civil War, the consequential deepening economic crisis and the lack of capacity, resources and expertise of the archival staff of the CDTY. This project will properly and safely store the physical archives at the Diocese headquarters in Yambio town. Afterwards, the documentary heritage will be catalogued, documented and digitized, which will largely increase the accessibility archives. The digital copies will be safeguarded on hard drives on several locations in- and outside the country (South Sudan National Archive in Juba and the Rift Valley Institute in Nairobi and London). Besides, the staff of the CDTY will be trained in digitization, archival management and archival preservation, and workshops will be organized to sensitize the local community about the value of the archive and raise awareness among local authorities about the importance of its preservation.

Image copyright: Conservartecuador