Africa-Press – Lesotho. The United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator Salvator Niyonzima appealed to volunteers to bring about change in their environments at the commemoration of the UN’s International Volunteer Day yesterday.
It was celebrated in collaboration with Fako Foundation. Do something that makes a difference even if it is for one person,” he challenged them. He said collective efforts could achieve “great things” I want to encourage you to
undertake those things that you want to do. The Resident Coordinator further appealed to the volunteers to be open to change and effect it at their communities and schools.
Speaking at the event Hon. Fako Moshoeshoe the CEO of Fako Foundation and Chairperson of the Parliament’s Social Cluster Committee challenged the volunteers to engage
in the voluntary activities, the move he said will take the country forward while they will also be contributing to the realisation of the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs). Applauding the outstanding volunteers he noted thus: “[let] me applaud our Basotho youth who fearlessly stood unyielding and represented our country and Fako Foundation
in the Global Citizens Innovative Solutions SDGS Challenge and UN75 initiative”. “The Challenge is a great way to become an engaged global citizen and learn hands-on about SDGsand to collectively align to
arrive at potential solutions to the world’s most critical and nagging problems,” he remarked. One of the awardees, who is also the Volunteer of the year, Thejane Malakane said that volunteering will
help spur the country to development trajectory. “Volunteerism spirit should be evident in all of us, we are called to serve,” he remarked. The UN Secretary General António Guterres urged the governments to “promote
volunteering, support volunteer efforts and recognize volunteer contributions to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Volunteers deserve our
heartfelt thanks”. “Around the world, volunteers have been assisting vulnerable groups, correcting misinformation, educating children, providing essential services to the
elderly, and supporting front-line health workers. “As we gradually recover from the pandemic, volunteers will have a key role to play in accelerating the transition to green, inclusive and just economies,” UN
Secretary General statement further reads. The UN International Volunteer day is commemorated annually on December 5. It was recognised by the UN General Assembly in 1985.
On one hand the other volunteers who had been awarded certificates had participated on the Global Citizens Innovative Solutions Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Challenge.
On the other hand, some had participated on the UN75 online survey. Also, the recipients of certificates were those who made it to semi-finals in SDG challenge,
the finalists and those who made it to top 5 category. The latter had also been given the Vodacom Smart Kicka 2 phones from the Fako Foundation. The following categories were nominated by the members of the public through the
online survey: The most outstanding volunteer group is Keep Lesotho Clean and Selibeng. com scooped the award for the best innovative volunteer initiative. Thejane Malakane came out tops as the volunteer of the year.
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