Goma, 6 December 2014 - As part of their civilian-military (CIMIC) activities, peacekeepers from MONUSCO’s Uruguayan battalion (URUBATT), in collaboration with the Mission’s welfare committee, held a 20 km race walking event on 6 December 2014 to raise funds to help the vulnerable children at the local “Flame of Love” orphanage.

The event, dubbed “The hard walk 2014, a competition against death… for an opportunity to give life”, involved around 200 participants, mostly consisting of MONUSCO military and civilian staff.

Welcoming them, URUBATT commander Colonel Rivera Elgue, said: “URUBATT is proud to invite all peacekeepers, military or civilian, for this friendly competition with the purpose of strengthening the bond and esprit de corps among MONUSCO personnel who are sharing the same humanitarian goal.”

Then, at precisely 6 a.m., the race walk kicked off from the URUBATT base, using a closed circuit around the Goma airport, for a total distance of 20 km.

Notable among the participants were Martin Kobler, Head of MONUSCO, and the Mission’s Force Commander Lt. General Carlos Alberto dos Santos Cruz. Four members of the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC) also took part in the competition.

Throughout the race, all participants were required to carry a backpack, weighing 20kg for men and 10kg for women. The winner was a team from the Indian battalion which finished the race in one hour, 54 seconds.

“Today, we are collecting funds to support the humanitarian efforts being made to improve the living conditions of the less fortunate children at the ‘Flame of Love’ Orphanage, ” Colonel Elgue said at the event.

CIMIC activities continued on 7 December, with a volleyball tournament at URUBATT base where 3 standard size volleyball courts have been built for this event.

“Together with MONUSCO welfare committee, we strive to interact with other MONUSCO contingents and civilian personnel and to have cultural exchanges with the local population,” said the URUBATT CIMIC officer.

CIMIC activities are important as they help improve the life of people in need and strengthen ties with the local population.

By practicing volleyball with the youth in conflict zones, Uruguayan peacekeepers teach them fair play, equality, respect, and team spirit.

Coming from a continent whose people are known for their joy of living, the Uruguayan peacekeepers are keen on organizing recreational activities for conflict-affected children.

Such activities have included singing with orphaned and other vulnerable children and arranging video conferences between Uruguayan and Congolese kids.

These events help to cheer up less fortunate kids and bring a smile on their faces despite the hard time they are going through.

The Uruguayan peacekeepers have also been engaged in collecting donations from charity organizations in Uruguay to support different childcare organizations in RDC.

Clara Padovan/MONUSCO