17 June 2009

Bentiu, Sudan: In celebration of the International Day of the African Child, commemorated globally on 16 June, UNV volunteers serving with the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) in Bentiu helped organize a day-long event.

The Indian UNMIS contingent transformed the Bentiu stadium into a ‘fun’ area, where some 500 children from four different schools and neighbourhoods joined the celebration.

Children were given a chance to express different aspects of their personalities. Artistic talent was displayed through the drawing of African masks, while football games showed off athletic prowess. A quiz on environmental issues was among the other activities organized during the fun-filled day.

“It was really great to see the kids’ happy faces. I am also glad that we incorporated the traffic campaign and malaria awareness messages into the quiz. Not only did kids have an opportunity to learn, but the adults too,” said Agnieszka Mikulska, a UNV volunteer in Bentiu.

The Bentiu Youth Group also performed a play carrying messages on children’s rights with a focus on the child’s right to education.

The event was held in cooperation with the South Sudan Orphan’s Care Organization and Africa En Vogue, a Polish NGO, under the umbrella of the State Ministry of Social Development. State Ministry officials attended the event and delivered speeches on the significance of the Day.

The 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement that UNMIS is mandated to support makes provision for children’s rights and wellbeing.

The International Day of the African Child was established to honour the lives of children who, in 1976, marched in the streets of Soweto, South Africa, to protest the inferior quality of their education.