Community Mobilization and Activism During COVID-19

This is the 5th and final in a series of articles featured by United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme in Sri Lanka in the context of International Volunteer Day 2020. 

COVID-19 was the first pandemic the world faced in a century. People responded with fear, anxiety and uncertainty during the first wave. Yet, there were also the acts of compassion, courage and care coming from the people. The country was in lockdown for more than two months from March to May 2020. The lockdown and intermittent curfew imposed created panic among people. It also led people to stock up their food and other essential items.

Delivering food to the most vulnerable in times of COVID-19

On October 9, 2020, the World Food Programme won the Nobel Peace Prize. Despite the threats posed by COVID-19, the WFP is working around the clock to maintain food assistance programmes which offer a lifeline to 87 million people globally. Read on to learn about the contributions of two UN Volunteers serving with WFP in Mozambique.

Angela Gregório António Chale Macie, UN Volunteer with WFP in Nampula, Mozambique

Just a couple of months before COVID-19 spread across nearly every border in the world, Ângela Gregório António Chale Macie began serving as a United Nations Volunteer in Nampula, Mozambique. Little did she know just how critical her role would become for the people in Erati district when the Coronavirus endangered their already-limited access to food.

My UN Volunteer experience at MONUSCO

My name is Winston Siafa, from Sierra Leone. I am one of the 316 UN Volunteers serving with the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) and now serving as a Civil Engineer in the field in Goma. 

As a Civil Engineer, I support building compounds when staff has to move to new offices. Since December 2020, I have overseen the construction of 48 offices. Along with this task, I am also in charge of civil infrastructure, sanitation and environmental projects within Goma town. I provide daily reports on activities and also contribute to the results of my section.