JONGLEI/GPAA/WARRAP/UNITY- On 5 December, every year, the world marks International Volunteer Day.

It’s a special one for the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), because currently, more than 400 UN Volunteers—both national and international— are serving for the cause of durable peace in this young nation.

Take the case of Edina Gerace Lubega from Tanzania, who works as a Child Protection Officer with the UN Peacekeeping mission in Jonglei state and Greater Pibor Administrative Area.

“I have always wanted to help make this world a better place for children. When I was working in my home country, promoting child rights programmes with various organizations was a daily ritual. Today, in South Sudan, I remain committed to helping protect young people from various abuses, including grave conflict-related grave,” explained Edina.

“Supporting local actors in creating a safe environment for them is key because South Sudanese themselves play a major role in this regard,” she adds.

For her part, Rebecca Kazi Yugusuk Tombe, a South Sudanese volunteer with the UNMISS Conduct and Discipline Team in Kuajok, Warrap state, truly believes that her work as a Community Outreach Officer honours the values that the United Nations stands for across the world.

“In my role, I constantly interact with local communities, women’s groups, youth representatives, students, traditional leaders, faith-based organisations and government stakeholders across the country to educate them on the mission’s core values,” proudly states Rebecca.

“The most vital part of my daily work is interacting with women and raising awareness on sexual exploitation and abuse where I do my best to give them safe space to freely share their concerns,” she notes.

It is this selflessness and care that distinguishes UN Volunteers, who often go beyond their mandate, exploiting innovative approaches trying to make a positive difference to people’s lives.

Another inspiring example is Emmanuel Kwalar Bongnjo, who left Cameroon in November 2021 to join UNMISS hoping to effectively contribute to peacebuilding in Bentiu, Unity state.

“As an UNMISS Civil Affairs Officer, I have a unique opportunity to ameliorate tensions and prevent intercommunal conflicts. My duty station is always a hotspot and I’ve gained first-hand experience of the challenges faced by UN Peacekeeping in conflict prevention,” he avers.

“I was part of the team that engaged state authorities and implemented peace dialogues for the communities of Leer, Koch and Mayendit counties following the spate of violence that erupted in February 2022 and when our mediation efforts helped calm tensions, it was a proud moment,” Emmanuel recounts with a smile.

When asked if they had any message for people reading the story, these three incredibly committed UN Volunteers have a joint refrain: They want to help achieve a prosperous, peaceful future for the people of South Sudan.