Wanjiku Eva Muthoni and Kebbeh W. Baysah are UN Volunteers with the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). Championing the cause of reducing the environmental footprint of MONUSCO, both Wanjiku and Kebbeh serve with the Environmental Protection Unit.
With land restoration, desertification, and drought resilience at the core — MONUSCO's Environmental Protection Unit includes cleaning sites and handing them over to landowners — tasks that Wanjiku and Kebbeh are responsible for in their volunteer assignments.
As we join hands to mark World Environment Day 2024, we take pride in our role within MONUSCO and are committed to fostering sustainable practices and leaving a positive legacy for future generations.” Kebbeh W. Baysah, UN Volunteer Environmental Officer with MONUSCO.
Kebbeh is a UN Volunteer Environmental Officer and coordinates activities of the Environmental Protection Unit throughout the mission. She supports site closures in the region and has conducted assessments for sites in Bukavu and Uvira — guiding environmental cleanup and land restoration before returning sites to landowners.
Wanjiku is also a UN Volunteer Environmental Officer. She has a hands-on role in Goma to implement the Department of Operational Support's Environmental Strategy. She conducts thorough assessments of all MONUSCO premises to ensure compliance with environmental policies.
Wanjiku Eva Muthoni, UN Volunteer Environmental Officer with MONUSCO conducts soil testing at the laboratory in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. @MONUSCO, 2024.
Wanjiku and Kebbeh have expertise in MONUSCO's environmental reporting tool called the Environmental Action and Planning Performance (eAPP). The mission achieved 84 per cent of its target in the last reporting period from July 2022 to June 2023, signifying an upward trend of improvement.
They were also actively involved in the setting up of MONUSCO’s soil testing laboratory to analyze contaminated soil — critical to land restoration.
As part of their routine tasks, Wanjiku and Kebbeh deliver environmental induction briefings to the military, police, and civilian personnel throughout the year to raise awareness of environmental strategies and practices.
One of their major achievement was piloting the paved walkways using recycled plastic pavers. This was meant to reduce the impact of disposing of single-use plastic, which clogs the waterways thus impacting a major source of livelihood and biodiversity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
We are both privileged to have had the opportunity to serve in the capacity of UN Volunteer Environmental Officers in MONUSCO. Both Kebbeh and I are incredibly proud of all that we have accomplished." Wanjiku Eva Muthoni, UN Volunteer Environment Officer with MONUSCO.
World Environment Day is celebrated annually on 5 June to raise awareness and promote action for environmental protection. This year's theme, "Land Restoration, Desertification, and Drought Resilience," holds significance worldwide and especially within the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), which aims to reduce its environmental impact.