UNAMID distributes hygiene materials to IDPs in Golo as part of its fight against COVID-19

UNAMID photo.

16 Jul 2020

UNAMID distributes hygiene materials to IDPs in Golo as part of its fight against COVID-19

Zalingei, 16 July 2020-UNAMID Human Rights and Child Protection Section, distributed hygiene materials and dignity kits to internally displaced women, girls and other vulnerable persons in areas surrounding the Mission’s Temporary Operating Base (TOB) in Golo, Central Darfur. The initiative is part of UNAMID’s support to the Transitional Government of Sudan’s (TGoS) response to the emergence of the novel corona virus disease (COVID-19) in Darfur.

 Water tanks, twenty-liter gallons/jerry cans and washing soap were distributed to representatives of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who came from Arokero, Sadal Ali and Souk districts in Golo.

 Addressing those gathered at the handover venue, UNAMID Human Rights Officer, who is also the Officer -in- Charge of Golo TOB, William Joof, informed recipients that all distributed items were sourced by members of the Mission’s Women’s Protection Network aligned to the Human Rights Section, adding that this gesture is part of the Mission’s ongoing support to the prevention and mitigation of the spread of the disease within various communities in Darfur.

 “UNAMID strongly urges the local communities to practice various recommended hygiene and safety protocols such as regular washing of hands with soap and water, ensuring social distancing and limiting crowd sizes where need for a small gathering is inevitable. We especially call on mothers to take a visible role in practicing these necessary steps in the home, since we all know that if you save a mother, you surely save the entire family or even the community,” Mr. Joof added.

 Speaking on behalf of the local community, Sheikh Mahjoub Mohamed, expressed the community’s appreciation to UNAMID staff for their timely assistance on COVID-19 awareness. “Rest assured that all received hygiene items will be put to good use by our communities. We are committing today that we will also assist in raising awareness on the dangers of COVID-19 in our villages,” Mr. Mohammed stated.

 UNAMID continues to work closely with the Transitional Government of Sudan (TGOS) in its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic through various types of support including transportation of blood samples from El Fasher, North Darfur to the TGoS’s Health Laboratories in either Nyala, South Darfur or the Sudanese capital, Khartoum.