28 September 2006

Bonn, Germany: A Memorandum of Understanding on the deployment of corporate volunteers between the UN Volunteers (UNV) programme and Deutsche Post AG, a global mail and logistics provider, was signed on 25 September by Monica Wulf-Mathies, Executive Vice President of corporate public policy and sustainability at Deutsche Post AG, and UNV Executive Coordinator Ad de Raad.

The agreement aims at deploying 10 Deutsche Post staff as UNV volunteers to UNICEF projects for two-week durations. The volunteers will provide specific expertise to support UNICEF projects within the framework of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Integrated into all assignments will be awareness-raising and promotion of volunteer action.

This is an exciting initiative linking UNV in partnership with both Deutsche Post and UNICEF. The first deployment of Deutsche Post corporate volunteers will support UNICEF’s Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), a core programme in Kenya.

Ad de Raad, Executive Coordinator of UNV expressed enthusiasm for the Deutsche Post/UNICEF/UNV initiative stating: “ Volunteering has shown to be of critical importance for immunization activities. In 2000 a global polio campaign mobilized some 10 million volunteers and helped vaccinate 550 million people.”

Within this framework and in line with one of UNV’s areas of distinctive contributions – “Access to Services and Service Delivery” – Deutsche Post corporate volunteers will support UNICEF’s programme activities in the Kwale district of Kenya.