The team leader of the UNMISS Child Protection Unit (CPU) and representatives from the Mission’s Communication and Public Information Section (CPIS) paid a visit to Hope for South Sudan Orphanage in Motti South West of Torit town.

The visit was structured by the Child Protection Unit as part of its campaign against the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict.

During the visit, the team leader, Mr. Amos, delivered T-Shirts with the inscription ‘CHILDREN NOT SOLDIERS’ to the orphanage.
 
“It is my wish and honor to appeal to UNMISS to work hand in hand with our donors in supporting us with additional funds to run this orphanage efficiently. Here we run an orphanage hosting about two hundred orphans. We target areas that are prone to child abduction stretching from here as far as Rajaf in Juba County. There are many children being brought here and we could not accommodate all of them, we can only afford what we are doing now. Just from January until we received over three hundred, we just turn them out of our gate because the capacity to handle that big number is not there. We are still open to whoever can come in and sponsor a child or five or two hundred or more.  ” said Rev. Fr. Romano, the director of the Orphanage.

The children in the orphanage were pleased with the Mission’s visit, expressed their gratitude, and stressed such visits should continue.

An orphan named Claudio said, “After losing both parents and I had only stayed with my brothers and sister and 2011; I came and joint this orphanage to get some education. I am really very happy about UNMISS coming here and I thank them for the T-shirts they have given us. I am also proud that they have encouraging us as children not to get recruitment into the army.”
   
The CPU team leader, Mr. Amos Cassel, encouraged the children to continue with their education and not allow themselves to be recruited and used as child soldiers. He then urged the children to report any violations committed against them to the concerned authorities.

“You should stick to your education and do what is expected of as children. We are doing our best to monitor and report on grave violations that are committed against you; apart from coming here, we also pay monitoring visit to detention facilities to assess the situation of children in conflict with the law and advocate best practices.”

Mr. Cassel also said his unit is planning to conduct a series of workshops with the SPLA, youth, schools, and the local community to further continue with the awareness campaign against the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict; and to create awareness and regular monitoring and mainstreaming child protection for the newly arrived Rwandan Battalion that is now on the ground. Training newly deployed peacekeepers on child protection complements the every peacekeeper receives prior to deployment.

Mr. Cassel went on to say that there are obstructions to full operation in the area.  Limited or lack of access to mobilization and training camps of the SPLA and inaccessibility to some areas which are a result of the ever deteriorating security situation are major factors.