Volunteers in action on International Volunteer Day

6 Dec 2012

Volunteers in action on International Volunteer Day

5 December 2012 - Focusing on projects enhancing peace and development in South Sudanese communities, UN Volunteers across the country today celebrated International Volunteer Day (IVD).

"IVD is a celebration of volunteering," said Fiona Stitfold, UNMISS UNV Programme Manager. "It embraces not only UN Volunteers but every person who has freely given their time to the service of others without being motivated by financial gain."

Currently, 11 national and 373 international UN Volunteers serve in UNMISS, ranging from 27 to 70 years of age, Ms. Stitfold said. International volunteers hail from 73 countries around the world.

UNMISS Volunteers serve in substantive areas like civil affairs, human rights, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, rule of law, legal and judicial affairs and mission support units such as transport, engineering, information technology, aviation and finance.

"This demonstrates the breadth of expertise that volunteers bring to the mission ... with a particular focus on capacity development of national counterparts," Ms. Stitfold said.

In addition to UNMISS, some 18 national and 199 international UN Volunteers from 44 countries serve at UN agencies in all 10 states of the country.

Volunteers assigned to the UN Development Programme serve in areas of democratic governance, Millennium Development Goals and conflict prevention, while those at the UN High Commissioner for Refugees specialize in humanitarian programmes. The UN Population Fund runs a robust midwives programme.

In Juba, the UNV programme launched a project at the YMCA school to repair the school's water pump, build a perimeter fence and latrines, renovate classrooms and office roofs and repair furniture. Hosting about 1,033 students in 10 classrooms, the school has no water and only one latrine.

"This is not a one-day project," said Ms. Stitfold. "After the launch, volunteers will be requested to provide their skills to teach students how to do some of these activities themselves, so that in future they too can hopefully volunteer to ably maintain the facilities."

Volunteers in Malakal visited prisoners with donations, while those in Torit cleaned around the state hospital and fixed ward mosquito nets. In Wau, volunteers also cleaned the state hospital and launched a fundraising drive for solar panels to be installed.

Led by international volunteer midwives, Aweil launched a campaign to raise awareness of family planning services available in the state, while Rumbek fabricated dust bins.

Volunteers visited an orphanage in Yei and the Makpandu Refugee Settlement in Yambio, where they participated in a cleaning exercise.

"As we celebrate the impact of volunteers on our world, let us remember the many places they are needed: in war zones and classrooms, in hospitals and homes – wherever struggling people seek a helping hand," said UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in his message to mark the day.

Outgoing UNV Programme Executive Coordinator Flavia Pansieri said in her message that volunteerism "helps to build an active and healthy civil society, critical to a peace that is durable and development that is sustainable".

"I have seen how tens of thousands of UN Volunteers who support UN Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding Missions bring stability to societies damaged by violence," she said. "(Volunteerism) plays a healing role by rebuilding trust in a post-conflict society."