UNMISS joins Kapuri community in school cleaning exercise

UNMISS joins Kapuri community in school cleaning exercise

UNMISS joins Kapuri community in school cleaning exercise.

28 Jan 2017

UNMISS joins Kapuri community in school cleaning exercise

James Sokiri

With pangas, slashers, hoes and grass-cutting machines, a team comprising of Kapuri area residents, students of Kapuri primary school, UNMISS Rwandan Contingent, as well as members of the local population today (Saturday 28 January) helped clean Kapuri Primary School in preparation for this year’s first-term school opening.

The team did this by cutting tall grass, uprooting unwanted plants and removing stones or other objects in and around the compound, as well as sweeping and mopping the school’s eight classrooms and three staffrooms with water and soap.

“The cleaning exercise is paramount because it provides a conducive learning environment for students, which will have a positive impact on the performance, because the mind works well in a healthy environment,” says Loku Tombe, head teacher of Kapuri Primary School.

Mr. Tombe says giving is more pleasurable that receiving, urging his community to imitate the initiative of voluntary work from the Rwandan military, commonly called Umuganda back home in Rwanda, for the people to move forward productively.

On the sidelines, the Rwandan contingent also donated about 3,000 exercise books and 1,200 pens, with each of the 600 registered students receiving five exercise books and two pens.

“The donation of the school material is important at this time when parents find it extremely difficult to buy a book that used to cost 2 South Sudanese Pounds a year ago for 100 SSP now,” head teacher Tombe explains.

In addition, UNMISS has given the school administration two volleyballs, a volleyball net and two poles for a volleyball pitch. The force also helped design a playground for volleyball matches.

“I urge you to keep a close and trustworthy relationship with UNMISS peacekeepers as a foundation to achieving sustainable security, peace and growth,” said Lt. Col. John Ndengeyinka, the Rwandese Contingent Commander.

Built in February 2015, Commander Ndengeyinka says the school was meant to extend UNMISS protection of civilians mandate to the grassroots population, and that the challenges confronting it currently should not derail the mission’s efforts exerted towards achieving lasting peace.

“The security challenges have negatively affected the school’s status, but this will not affect our will to improve the environment of these loved girls and boys,” he said, adding:

“The development of your country lies in your hands, and you can only realize it through partnership, hard work, commitment and patriotism.”

Doctor Jean Bosco Habyarimana, also a Captain of the Rwandan contingent, says his team has also been providing, through a medical camp set up for a day at the school, medical tests for terminal diseases such a malaria and hypertension. In addition, de-worming tablets have also been handed out to over 500 in Rombur, in the Kapuri area.

With a team of laboratory technicians, nurses and doctors, Dr. Habyarimana says, UNMISS is mandated to protect civilians, and that this protection may extend to assisting civilians in preventing diseases.