USAID donates non-food items to displaced in Malakal

27 Nov 2014

USAID donates non-food items to displaced in Malakal

26 November 2014 - The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) today donated items to the Peace and Security Council of displaced people living at the UNMISS bases in the Upper Nile State capital Malakal.

The donation was made as an incentive to the Council, which has been working tirelessly to keep peace among communities in the protection site, USAID representative Chase Colby Madden said at a handover ceremony attended by Council members and UNMISS staff.

“You have been working hard to promote peace in the PoC (protection of civilians site) and we appreciate your efforts,” said Mr. Madden. “These items are meant to make your work easier and (also to) thank you for keeping peace in the protection of civilians site.”

Items received by Council members included stationery, storage boxes, a public address system, megaphones, torch lights, t-shirts, gumboots and bag packs.

UNMISS Acting State Coordinator Hastings Amurani-Phiri urged them to use the items for their intended purpose to avoid misconceptions among displaced people.

“The items you received today should be used for the intended work, which is to serve IDPs in the protection sites,” he said. “Anytime you want to make use of items like the public address system, you have to clearly communicate to each other to avoid confusion or misunderstanding.”

Matthew Choul, the Council’s chairperson, vowed that members would continue to work closely with UNMISS in promoting peace and reconciliation in protection sites and in Upper Nile State in general.

“The work we do is voluntary,” Mary Nyabiel Deng, a member of the council. “We are not paid but we are happy to do it in the name of peace and the items we received today will even motivate us more.”