United Nations Radio

UNAMID's Philippine police contingent

PRES: Children in Sudan's troubled Darfur region were on the receiving end recently of generosity from some UN peacekeepers stationed there to protect them. Chelsea Moore has the story.

Moore: Early this week, the UN mission in Darfur's Philippine police contingent formally adopted a boy's primary school in the region. Each student at the Mahad El Terbia school, received textbooks, exercise books, pens and pencils, drawing books and crayons, courtesy of the contingent. The deputy head of the Filipino Police contingent in Darfur, Victorio Caragan JR, says they adopted the school because of their strong belief in the power of education.

Caragan: Education creates peace. I hope that our country, the Philippines and Sudan will continue to cooperate in attaining peace. So on behalf of the Chief of the Philippines national police, we will continue to serve and protect the people and we hope continue to serve the adopted school of the Philippine contingent of UNAMID.

Moore: Some 500 students attend the school. Most are from Abu Shouk, a camp for the internally displaced, four kilometers away. The deputy head teacher at the school, Musaman Abdulrahaman Abdalla, knows just how difficult things are for the students.

Abdalla: Most of them their parents are very poor. They have no money and don't have many things. Sometimes they didn't have breakfast and they did not have shoes or clothes and this is a problem. The length from Abushouk to here is very difficult for pupils to come and study here but many of them ride bicycles to come to school.

Moore: In Darfur, many rebel factions are reported to recruit young boys as part of their force. Journalists asked the deputy head teacher whether many of the students dropped out of the school to become child soldiers.

Abdalla: Some of them run to be soldiers but these days it's no more. It's mainly controlled because they have eating here at school, and they have breakfast from World Food Programme. We tell them to study and we tell their families to help them to study.

Moore: The adoption of the school by the Philippine police contingent means not only a chance at an education for students who might not otherwise get one, but can also help further peace in this troubled area of Sudan. Students are particularly excited about the adoption and their future.

Children: Yes, Yes we are happy!

Mohammed: "My name is Mohammed El Rasheed. I am happy with the things they brought for us thank you very much.

Ahmed Ismail: My name is Ahmad Ismail. I am very happy, thanks you very much.

Producer: Chelsea Moore
Duration: 2'30"