by Paul Watyekere Lemi

22 October 2008

Yei, Sudan: My involvement with volunteerism started way back in Juba in 2007. We had a volunteer youth association called the Southern Sudan Youth Alliance Against AIDS (SSYAAA). We were involved in creating HIV/AIDS awareness and promoting better hygiene and sanitation practices in our community in Southern Sudan.

When UNV came to South Sudan, our association was identified by the UNV Programme Officer Mr. Sam Eyambe. He requested a meeting with us and later highlighted the need to further mobilize ourselves and others to involve ourselves more in volunteer activities. "Volunteerism has power to move things, " he said.

Then on 5 June 2007, SSYAAA hit the road in partnership with UNV. We commemorated World Environment Day by initiating the 'Keep Juba Teaching Hospital clean' project. On that day we swept the hospital, cleaned, washed and scrubbed the hospital toilets, picked up all the garbage in the hospital and delivered it to dumping sites in the outskirts of Juba. We were joined by the hospital administrators, nurses and other volunteers from other NGOs operating in South Sudan.

By the close of the day everybody - including the hospital administration and patients - were impressed. We had demonstrated that volunteerism has the power to impact positively on society.

The hospital administration agreed that it should be a continuous process to voluntarily sweep and clean the hospital every Tuesday of the week together with other hospital staff like nurses, casual workers and administrators. This cleaning activity continues today. We set the benchmark.

Today, when I look back on my time with SSYAAA, I can proudly say, "I have seen it all". I have seen that volunteerism can positively change society.  Volunteerism can mobilize and motivate society to see the potential in themselves to get involved in community-based activities.

Then on 1 April 2008, I was recruited for a national UNV volunteer assignment. I was offered a 10 month service contract and immediately assigned to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) South Sudan refugee repatriation programme in the capacity of Administration and Finance Assistant, Yei sub-office.

As Admin and Finance Assistant, I provide support to the refugee repatriation mission, which includes preparing of periodic financial statements, coding of accounts, filing financial documents and providing administrative support to other units.

Again here, I have seen it all. I have seen thousands of refugees being repatriated from refugee camps in the neighbouring country Uganda, back to Southern Sudan. I have seen the majority of returnees cry after stepping back on home soil. They cry tears of joy. They are delighted to be back home after over years of refugee life due to the civil conflict here, which lasted 21 years and forced them into exile.

Once they return the returnees are re-integrated into society with food rations and household items. As a UNV volunteer, I feel proud to be associated in activities like these which have impacted positively on Sudanese society and disadvantaged South Sudanese people. I have also seen many returnees begin to involve themselves in agriculture and small-scale business activities - a new life for them.

Now when I look back to my three-year involvement in volunteerism - both in civil society and with UNV - I can proudly say that I feel proud to have offered myself in voluntary activities in Southern Sudan. I am happy to be part of a team that has contributed to peace, a better life and the self reliance of South Sudanese people, and returnee transformation in Southern Sudan.

Volunteerism can surely create change in society. I have seen it.