As part of its outreach and engagement activities, UNMISS Police and Military have conducted an environmental sanitation exercise in the two Protection of Civilians (PoC) sites at UN House in Juba.

A team consisting of individual police officers, the Nepalese Formed Police Unit, military from the Nepalese and Ethiopian contingents, UNMISS Security and the PoC Community Watch Group (CVG) went about the clean-up operation on 13 and 15 October.

The activities undertaken included the clearing of grass, collecting rubbish, sweeping dirty areas and opening water channels. The Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) living in the PoC sites 1 and 3 were also educated on the importance of living in a clean environment.

Some of the IDPs, including many children, volunteered and participated in the exercise. As a reward, they will from now on be handed the lead and ownership of future, similar clean-up activities.

Several IDPs expressed their gratitude towards the sanitation team. Mathew Kueth Kai described the exercise as “second to none”, and as an expression of the Mission’s care of the communities staying in the PoC sites. James Jima, who also participated in the exercise, echoed Mathew’s satisfaction, as did 16-year-old Susan James Galuo. Susan stated that she could now see the beauty and nice view in front of her shelter, adding that she will endevour to keep the area clean.