Prince Jacob from India, Caroline Barozi from Uganda, and Tsegaye Hailemeskel from Ethiopia are UN Volunteers with the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA).
Prince Jacob is a UN Volunteer Nurse. He administers vaccinations, delivers nursing care, facilitates prompt emergency responses, and ensures medical support for UNISFA's field operations.
Nursing in the peacekeeping context — Prince's service directly impacts the health and welfare of all personnel including international peacekeepers and local staff engaged in the mission's endeavours.
Abyei is situated between Sudan and South Sudan.
Prince says that navigating Abyei's complexities and extreme weather was tough, and conquering them marks his greatest triumph.
He values resilience, adaptability, and empathy and regards them as crucial in humanitarian efforts.
Volunteering has taught me the true meaning of compassion, solidarity, and the power of collective action. My interactions with the personnel at UNISFA and fellow volunteers bring valuable lessons of resilience, perseverance, and the inherent dignity of every individual.” Prince Jacob, international UN Volunteer with UNISFA.
Prince Jacob (center) UN Volunteer Nurse, Dr. Djibo Hamidou (right) Chief Medical Officer with UNISFA with patients from the local community. @UNISFA, 2024.
Caroline Barozi is a UN Volunteer Information Technology Assistant. She develops and implements service delivery to end users. Technology is a core pillar of the mission's operations, says Caroline. UNISFA's headquarters are in a remote location hence service round the clock is vital.
She takes part in outreach activities together with local high school students and is deeply moved by their vigour and quest for knowledge.
My motivation to volunteer stems from the idea of serving a cause that is bigger than myself and the growth that comes with working and living away from the comforts of a familiar environment. To volunteer is to believe in a better world and attempt to improve it through service to others.” Caroline Barozi, international UN Volunteer with UNISFA.
Another UN Volunteer, Tsegaye Hailemeskel is a Movement Control Assistant in Abyei, among his responsibilities — planning, executing, and supervising the transportation of military personnel, civilians, and cargo.
His most memorable experience as a UN Volunteer was establishing a library in a community school in Abyei. The joy he saw on children's faces lingers on in his mind to date.
To be a UN Volunteer means being selfless, cherishing the community, and striving to make it better in terms of safety and livelihood.” Tsegaye Hailemeskel, international UN Volunteer with UNISFA.
The only way to reach UNISFA headquarters and team sites is by helicopter, Abyei is a hard-to-reach area with multiple limitations. The logistical difficulty extends to the delivery of food supplies, which also mostly rely on air transport.
This does not deter UN Volunteers from continuing to do what they are best at — giving that local level support most needed by communities.