Mbandaka, 5 December 2010 – As the world celebrated International Volunteer Day on 5 December, United Nations Volunteers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Equateur province visited and shared a meal with children from a Catholic run orphanage in Bamanya village, some ten kilometers from Equateur's capital, Mbandaka. During their visit the volunteers donated food and other non food items to the orphanage.

The non food items included soap, school exercise books, pens and footballs.

This was yet another opportunity for these men and women, who dedicate their talents, skills and energy to the cause of peace and development, to demonstrate on the ground that they have come to the DRC, to assist the vulnerable.

The Spokesperson for the Volunteers, Ms. Charlotte Songue said: "Meeting the Millennium Goals means eradicating hunger." It was for this reason she said they chose to provide this modest food assistance to the children at the orphanage. The children expressed their gratitude to the UN volunteers for their generosity.