24 September 2013- Boosting efforts to reduce maternal and child mortality in Western Bahr El-Ghazal State, UNMISS Chinese military engineers today initiated construction of a road at a nursing school in the state capital Wau.

The engineers, who supported the construction of Mary Help Nursing and Midwifery College and the Mary Help Hospital last year, today began to clear and compact the ground to enable the actual paving of the road, which will run through the college compound.

"Maternal and child mortality rates are very high in South Sudan," said Sr. Grace Adichirayil, the college chief. "One of the ways to reduce the rates is to prepare people to work in health centres."

This year, 29 students graduated from the college, which is currently training another 100 students.

"The essence of UN peacekeeping operations is to help local communities to improve their living environment," said Lt. Col Yu Zigang, the Chinese Military Engineering Company Commander.