North Darfur school facility construction commences

On 14 July 2014, UNAMID officially kicked off the construction of an examination hall at Open University in El Fasher, North Darfur, as part of its community-based, labour-intensive projects (CLIPs) programme, a development-oriented undertaking facilitated by the Mission's Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) section. The hall is being constructed by implementing partner Third Star Charity Organization. When complete, it will accommodate more than 300 students, who will be able to take classes in vocational skills and other job programmes.Apart from the Mission’s core mandate of protecting civilians, facilitating humanitarian aid delivery, and supporting the peace process, UNAMID’s CLIPs programme is designed to reduce violence in strategic locations across Darfur by offering vocational skills training to young people and other vulnerable groups, and engaging them in rebuilding their fragile communities. The projects provide an opportunity to the groups to learn a variety of livelihood skills, and to improve their employability and social integration.