Angola
UN Volunteers joined colleagues and volunteers to donate bio-safety materials to the orphanage Horizonte Azul (Blue Horizon), in Luanda. The centre cares for over 100 young girls and women abandoned by their families. UNV's focal point in Angola, Ms Beryl, presented donations and UN Volunteers interacted with children at the home. UNV collaborated with UNDP, the UN Resident Coordinator's Office and volunteer-involving organizations on a virtual forum on the role of volunteerism in Angola's progress.
Burundi
UN Volunteers from UNDP, RCO and UNHCR marked IVD 2020 by visiting the local association “SOS Indigents Malades” to distribute food and sanitary items in response to COVID-19 impacts. The local association is in charge of vulnerable people in hospitals and further distributed the items received in two hospitals: Neuropsychiatric Centre of Kamenge and King Khaled Hospital. After the distribution activity, the UN Volunteers and partners gathered for a dialogue on COVID-19 response efforts, sharing experiences and lessons learnt with key partners.
Comoro Islands
UNV organized COVID-19 prevention disinfection activities in Mitsamiouli High School, in partnership with the mayor, school management and youth and women associations. UNV also collaborated with UNICEF to host a football match to promote volunteerism, and a roundtable event on volunteerism at University of Comoros, in partnership with UNDP.
Eritrea
UN Volunteers joined UN representatives in expressing their gratitude for the contribution of volunteers in the country. UNDP Resident Representative, Mr James Wakiaga, expressed his pride in working with UN Volunteers. "During this period of COVID-19, UN Volunteer colleagues have gone beyond the call of duty to deliver results," he said. UNOCHA representative in Eritrea, Mr Vedaste Kalima, who is also a former UN Volunteer, also shared his thank you message to volunteers on occasion of IVD 2020.
Ethiopia
UNV organized a virtual event on 4 December via Zoom, attended by close to 100 participants from partner volunteer-involving organizations, government representatives and UN volunteers. Speakers included representatives from UNHCR, UNOCHA, UNDP and the government. Discussions revolved around the role of volunteerism in COVID-19 prevention. Other themes discussed at the Forum included the role of volunteerism in crime prevention and peace building and launch of a mentorship programme for volunteers.
Kenya & Somalia
On 25 November and 3 December 2020, staff and UN Volunteers joined Girl Aid Foundation and The Action Foundation for mentorship and distribution of sanitary materials to schoolgirls and girls living disabilities. The events were aimed at simultaneously marking three important International campaigns: IVD, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities and 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence. Items donated at the events were bought through crowdfunding from UN Volunteers and staff at UNV. The events were attended by journalists and aired on prime time News on Kenya’s leading television station, Citizen TV.
Lesotho
To mark IVD 2020, UN Resident Coordinator Mr Salvator Niyonzima recognized volunteers for their contribution to the Sustainable Development Goas (SDGs), also making particular reference to the 75th anniversary of the United Nations. Mr Niyonzima also shared event highlights on social media.
Madagascar
The national IVD celebration took place in Ambatondrazaka in the northeast, led by the Ministry of Communication and Culture. The event was the culmination of activities across the country to promote mutual aid, civic responsibility and concern for the common good, as part of the "TAGNAMARO” initiative. Volunteer organizations carried out activities across the country, including flash mobs, tree planting and reforestation, clean-up and awareness campaigns. In Antananarivo, UNV, the Red Cross, Madagscar Blue Cross Society and other volunteer-involving organizations, coordinated an awareness forum at the National Library Anosy, attended by about 250 volunteers, political and UN representatives, and where UNV delivered the UN Secretary General’s IVD message.
Malawi
UNV commemorated IVD on 16 December 2020 at LUANAR-NRC Campus and the UNDP Resident Representative, Mr Shigeki Komatsubara, was the guest of honour. Also in attendance was the Deputy Labor Commissioner from the Ministry of Labour, who made a closing speech. The event was attended by around 250 university students and provided an opportunity to promote volunteerism, encourage the government to support volunteer efforts and recognize their contributions towards the achievement of the SDGs.
Mozambique
UNV implemented a two-month social media and community awareness campaign to raise awareness on volunteerism and mobilze volunteer action in the country. Messages disseminated included tips for volunteering during COVID-19 and promotion of inclusion through volunteering. Onsite events were held in partnership with several volunteer-involving organizations at the Olympic Committee of Mozambique. Volunteers were hailed as community heroes and urged to continue promoting the welfare of communities. In Manica region, the Provincial Volunteer Council organized a roundtable forum to showcase volunteer actions in the region.
Namibia
UN Volunteers in Namibia formed partnerships with local volunteer groups. They set up a group networking and communication channel for sharing opportunities and ideas on volunteer action for community development across the country. UN Volunteers joined others supporting different government initiatives to highlight the efforts and impact of volunteers who have been at the forefront of the COVID-19 response.
Rwanda
The national volunteer week was officially opened by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Culture and Youth, Mr Bamporiki Edouard, in Musanze District. The launch event was attended by around 400 residents, with key speakers emphasizing the role of volunteerism in society. IVD celebrations on 5 December were held in Gasabo District and attended by representatives of government, UN and volunteer-involving organizations. The Minister of Culture and Youth, Rosemary Mbabazi, Mayor of Gasabo District and UN Resident Coordinator in Rwanda, Dr Fode Ndiaye, were the main guests. Celebrations were attended by more than 600 people and covered by the media. UN senior representatives also shared their messages of gratitude for volunteers.
South Sudan
UN Volunteers from Rumbek launched a new water project for the residents of Makululudic village, a needy community in the region. A total of 22 UN Volunteers got together and donated towards the project, through the coordination of UN Volunteer Medical Officer Dr Rudolf Maulany, who spearheaded the campaign. Local government and community members joined the inauguration of the water project on IVD, 5 Dec 2020. UNV staff & volunteers in South Sudan also raised awareness on volunteerism through radion talk shows in Radio Miraya and Yambio FM. UN Senior representatives from WHO, FAO and UNDP also shared their messages of gratitude for volunteers.
South Africa
UNDP Resident Representative, Dr Ayodele Odusola, passed his message of gratitude to UN Volunteers, highlighting the value of UN Volunteers as a means to empower communities and deliver transformative community-level work. "I would like to underscore the value of UNV. I see this as a major way of building capacities," he said.
Tanzania
UNV collaborated with several UN partners, the government and more than 25 non-governmental and volunteer-involving organizations to jointly commemorate IVD in Zanzibar on 5 December 2020. The event was attended by about 500 participants and aired on mainstream media (radio and TV channels) and covered in newspapers. People were urged to volunteer more for the society's progress, and volunteers were recogized for their selfless spirit.
Uganda
Volunteers, volunteer-involving organizations and UN partners shared their messages on the controbution of volunteers to the country's progress. UNHCR Country Representative, Mr Joel Boutrone, and UNHCR Head of Field Unit in Rwamwanja, Ms Restituta Cang, shared their experiences with engaging volunteers, particularly in increasing the production and distribution of face masks and sanitary materials for COVID-19 containment in the camps.
https://twitter.com/unv_uganda/status/1335131221484040192?s=20 https://twitter.com/unv_uganda/status/1335131221484040192?s=20
Zambia
UNV partnered with the government for a public announcement of IVD on Zambia’s leading national TV broadcasting station, ZNBC TV 1. The TV station reaches about 640,000 households daily. The annoucement was made by the Minister for Community Development and Social Services, Hon. Kampamba Mulenga.
Zimbabwe
UNV partnered with volunteer-involving organizations on an online campaign calling on volunteers to share their stories of impact through social media. The commemorations for IVD took place virtually on 7 December 2020. Under the overall leadership and coordination of the Ministry of Youth, Sports, Arts and Recreation, a draft national volunteerism strategy has been developed and is currently undergoing government review. It was against this backdrop that the Minister of Youth, Sports, Arts and Recreation provided a keynote address, highlighting progress made and actions needed to accelerate support for volunteers in the country.
