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UNAMID and UNDP join IDPs community to mark International Volunteer Day and World Soil Day

Photo by Amin Ismail, UNAMID.

On 5 December 2017, hundreds of students, teachers, community leaders as well as government officials, UNDP representatives and UNAMID staff jointly commemorated the International Volunteer Day and World Soil Day.

The event, collaboratively organized by UNAMID and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), was held at Abu Shouk camp for internally displaced persons in El Fasher, North Darfur.

It included a tree planting initiative and a clean-up campaign; while traditional songs were sung in accompaniment to a drama performance on the importance of protecting soil and the environment.

UNAMID representatives sensitized the local community on the importance of protecting soil and distributed school materials, farming tools and various seedlings to the school authorities present.

Addressing the occasion, Aldoma Hassan, representative, Ministry of Education, North Darfur, commended UNAMID and UNDP for celebrating these important occasions in El Fasher and underlined the correlation between environmental protection and reduction of conflict.

On his part, Richard Oyoo, Head, Environment and Occupational Safety Unit, UNAMID, explained that the event aimed at emphasizing the importance of protecting soil resources and the environment for the younger generation. 

In his remarks, Stuart Moran, Programme Manager, United Nations Volunteers in Darfur stated that volunteers are particularly effective in ensuring a healthy environment in their communities. “We encouraging all students to continue volunteering in their communities and to focus on work that will improve the environment and their health and the community,” said Mr. Moran.

Additionally, John Anodam, UNDP Programme Manager, Darfur, highlighted the importance of volunteerism in providing services to humanity and emphasized on the role of youth in promoting volunteerism in the community. “We encourage all communities to support their youth in implementing different voluntary activities,” stated Mr. Anodam.

On behalf of students at the event, Ozaz Adam, a pupil of Aldoha Secondary School for Girls at Abu Shouk camp, called upon all Darfuri people to safeguard their environment by planting trees and preserving soil.