Goma, 18 July 2011 – As elements of the Indian battalion's 18th Madras Group prepare to go home after their one-year tour of duty with the United Nations Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO), they will be leaving behind a legacy of both peacebuilding and charitable work. During their deployment in Nord-Kivu Province, they helped train 120 young Congolese men and women as auto mechanics.

Upon arriving in Nord-Kivu a year ago, these peacekeepers felt there was a pressing need for sustainable auto mechanic skills in the province. There were plenty of second-hand used motor vehicles while the province had almost no auto repair and maintenance garages or mechanics.

Thus was born the idea of providing local young people with the relevant training to serve those needs. This led to the creation of "Eagle Automotive Training Centre" at the battalion's Camp Focolari on 17 January 2010. Since that time, the Indian peacekeepers have successfully trained 120 auto mechanics under a one-year programme that ended with a graduation ceremony on 17 July.

Several invited personalities attended the ceremony, including the governor of the province, Julien Paluku, who awarded the Indian peacekeepers with a certificate of appreciation. Mr. Palulu delivered a speech in which he commended the Blue Helmets' many efforts to improve the life quality of the local population. He praised the excellent working relationship and friendly coexistence between the MONUSCO office in Nord-Kivu and the provincial government.

Representatives of local population also joined the governor in expressing appreciation for these peacekeepers' work in the region.

The governor then presented the 120 trainees with their certificate of completion, and urged them to put to good use their newly acquired knowledge and skills.

General C.P. Mohanty, the Commander of the Nord-Kivu Brigade, Mohanty, in his speech explained that it was fairly common in India for soldiers to engage in projects that would benefit poor sections of the population, especially those living in remote areas. "So it was natural for us to do the same thing for people in the DRC," he added.

General Mohanty also pledged that the next rotation of Indian troops to the DRC would continue this commitment to improving people's lives.

Clara Padovan/MONUSCO