12 February 2014 - Responding to the urgent need for a properly built school, the UNMISS Rwandan Battalion today handed a facility over to the community in Tambura County, Western Equatoria State.

The peacekeepers built the school, which has four rooms and is near completion after six months of work, using personal donations.

“The motivation was that we found people were really in need of a school,” said Battalion Commander Charles Karinganire.

The students have been studying in small tukuls (thatched huts with no walls), which can prohibit studying during the rainy season.

Tambura County Commissioner Babiro Charles Gbamisi commended the efforts of the Rwandan contingent.

“They are working as part of the community,” he said. “They are breaking bricks with our community (doing manual labour alongside the local population).”

Last year, the battalion provided the local community with clean water daily and also built a bridge.