UNV Kosovo: News Releases

Volunteers volunteering for Kosovo’s Children
UN Volunteers working with UNMIK raised over 1000 Euro for the UNV Charitable Fund with a big spring barbecue party on 17 May 2003. Beneficiaries are Kosovo’s children: The money shall support youth-projects on reconciliation and reintegration.

“We thought a party would be a good way to raise money, but we didn’t expect it to be such a big success”, says Christine Botejue-Kyle, UNV Programme Manager happily. Many UN Volunteers took part in the organization of the party. “The Nepalese UNVs provided us with 20 kg marinated chicken for the barbecue and the Philippine UNV Community prepared a huge dish of traditional noodles” stated Christine. Many others took entrance fees at the doors or prepared salads for the buffet.

“After we found out how much money was raised, we asked the UN Volunteers to send us project proposals that focused on supporting children and vulnerable groups,” explained Christine. From a total of nine project proposals submitted, the UNV Support Unit staff selected two children’s projects to support with the funding.“ Children and youth are a ready catalyst towards building tolerance and co-operation between the different ethnic groups. It is very important to support them as much as possible”, explains Christine of the decision.

The two project proposals came from UN Volunteers Sophea Preap from Cambodia and Desiree Roberts from Guyana.

Sophea organized a day-trip for Roma children between 12 and 18 years. “The kids don’t have real freedom of movement and most of them don’t take part in social activities, like sports or arts and crafts because they have to work after school hours”, explains the Culture, Youth and Sports Officer of Podujeve/o municipality on the background of the project. “We wanted to give them the possibility to relax, make new friends and learn a bit about the importance of health, education and verbal communication through arts and sports as an alternative to violence.” UN Volunteers Kosovo financed this initiative with 400 Euro donation from the fund.

Desiree’s project proposal is about funding Sports equipment for 7 Primary Schools in Gllogoc/Glogovac “Physical education provides a release for energetic children, they perform better in class, it teaches teamwork and builds esteem especially in young girls”, the Municipal Civil Registration Officer explains. In 2001 the UN Trust Fund - Quick Impact Program and the Norwegian KFOR funded the building and repair of multi sports playing fields in the village, however there was limited sports equipment available. “ With the support of 600 Euros from the UNV Charitable fund, which a matching grant from the municipality, handballs, basketballs, footballs, volleyballs and volleyball-nets will be purchased under the project to make the best use of this sports infrastructure”, says the UNV.

For more information about this News Release, contact:
Angela Griep, UNV Public Information Officer, Email griep@un.org, or
Christine Botejue-Kyle, UNV Programme Manager, Email botejue-kyle@un.org