by Cristina Herrero

05 February 2001

San Salvador, El Salvador: A team of six UN Volunteers (two international UNVs and four national UNVs) working for the World Food Programme (WFP) was reinforced with three new international UNVs. UNVs work with WFP after El Salvador quake.  The team is supporting the activities of the WFP related to the food distribution and monitoring, communication, relationship with the central government, the Family National Secretary , non-governmental organizations (NGOs), counterparts and government institutions.

Ten new national UNVs are assisting approximately 100 municipalities in the strengthening of their capacities. They are also supporting the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) activities in the area of construction of provisional housing and distribution of materials. The UNV Voluntary Support to Rapid Disaster Response project is financing these UNVs.

An international UNV, actually serving in the United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala (MINUGUA), is voluntarily assisting in the epidemiological surveillance that the Office for Project Services (OPS) is carrying out. His voluntary assignment for two weeks was facilitated by MINUGUA through a special leave arrangement.

The three UNVs that were in the country working under a UNICEF regional project are assisting in the psychosocial rehabilitation of the affected population. They are also training national counterparts in this area. The UNV programme is preparing a proposal to take three more UNVs on board in the near future.

Two international UNVs from the White Helmets will soon arrive in the country to assist the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in the design of the reconstruction of schools that were destroyed.

As a result of a White Helmets' mission carried out recently in support to the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) activities related to needs assessment and project formulation, a project proposal, which includes the recruitment of four international UNVs in the field of management of shelters, was prepared and submitted for approval. The project also has a component for training and capacity building.

In the flash appeal announced by the UN, the UNDP has included the recruitment of 60 national UNVs field workers and five international UNVs to support the reconstruction phase, mainly in the areas of housing.