“I recall the civil war in Liberia vividly,” says Elfreda Dennice Stewart, a United Nations Police (UNPOL) officer serving with the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

My parents managed - with many sacrifices on their part - to put me through high school during a time of great turmoil in my country, following which I started doing a number of jobs to help out financially.”

Elfreda braided hair and tutored younger children in her community, often returning home late at night, afraid of being raped at a time when sexual violence was rife in Liberia.

Dreams shattered

Rachel Briggs, another UNPOL officer from Liberia deployed to the world’s youngest country, has a similar story. “I had so many dreams but the war in my country shattered them. I was separated from my mother in 1990 and until today, I don’t know if she is dead or alive. I continue searching for her, but my life has moved on,” she reveals.

For UNPOL officer Alfreda Tozay, it’s the memories of people being killed, destroyed properties and extreme hunger, which still resonate.

“Liberia, when I was growing up, was an endless saga of horrors. My parents didn’t have enough food for us, and I would go to the bush, make charcoal to sell on the streets. I would sell bread on the roadside. But still, there was never enough to eat,” she recounts.

But their lives changed after the former UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) was deployed in September 2003. The UN’s mandate in Liberia was to monitor the ceasefire agreement following the second Liberian civil war.

Beacon of hope

But ‘blue helmets’ on the ground didn’t merely broker a hard-fought peace for the troubled country; they were a beacon of hope for the Liberian people, especially women, to rise up and contribute towards shaping a brighter future.

Elfreda, Rachel, and Alfreda joined UNMIL’s police training and became some of the first women to join the Liberian National Police.

Now, these remarkable women are part of the first-ever deployment of UNPOL officers from Liberia to UN Peacekeeping.

South Sudan, and specifically Bor in Jonglei state, where all three are stationed, holds a special place in their hearts.

‘If we can do it, so can you’

“When I came to Bor and started patrolling among communities, I knew exactly what they are going through because I and all the Liberian people have suffered the same,” says Elfreda. “This made me uniquely positioned to form a bond with the South Sudanese people and calm any tensions.

“When they hear my stories, they feel like they have found a sister. I always tell them—look where Liberia was and look how peaceful we are now. If we can do it, so can you.”

For Rachel, empathizing with the South Sudanese communities she serves has been, at once, harrowing and rewarding. “After my first patrol in Bor, I returned to my accommodation in the mission and cried.

“It was like watching history repeat itself in South Sudan. But I knew I could make a difference and bring hope to communities living here. I tell them about my childhood, and I keep emphasizing a single point—forget the past and join together to build a better future for your children,” she states passionately.

An honour to serve

“Our experience of a 14-year civil war and the impact that UN peacekeepers had, is real and tangible for the people we are on the ground to serve,” adds Alfreda. “We benefited so much from peacekeepers, and it is our honour to now serve in this young nation under the iconic blue flag.”

Elfreda, Rachel and Alfreda were among nine Liberian UNPOL officers who recently received the prestigious UN medal for their service to the cause of building a lasting peace in South Sudan.

“Being shortlisted for UNMISS was a dream come true and everyday as we enhance capacities of our local counterparts in the South Sudan Police Service, we ask them to look at us as an example of what a country and its women can achieve, with help from the UN,” continues Rachel with a smile.

“We learnt a lot from UNMIL peacekeepers. Now, as UNMISS peacekeepers, it is our time to give back to South Sudan,” says Elfreda in conclusion.

‘No greater joy’

The historic medal ceremony for these nine outstanding Liberian police officers was full of special moments. A particularly poignant one was when Murat Isik, UNPOL Chief of Staff for UNMISS - who had previously served with the UNMIL from 2004-2005 as the instructor of the Liberian Police Service Training Academy - pinned the medal on one of his former cadets, Togba Massaquoi.

"There can be no greater joy than to see Togba serve ably as my deputy at UNMISS, helping create a more peaceful, prosperous South Sudan. Togba and every awardee from Liberia are living examples of the power of peace," said Mr. Isik, eloquently.  

The moving occasion was attended by UNMISS Police Commissioner, Christine Fossen, and Deputy Special Representative as well as Resident Coordinator for South Sudan, Sara Beysolow Nyanti, who hails from Liberia herself. - United Nations

TEHRAN – Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA) held an online seminar on Iran-Tanzania trade on Saturday in which the trade capacities and the existing obstacles in the way of developing the economic relations between the two countries were explored and discussed.

The webinar was attended by senior officials from the two sides including Chargé d'Affaires of the Iranian Embassy in Tanzania Hossein Alvandi, President of Tanzania Chamber of Commerce Paul Koyi, Director-General for the Arab-African States in ICCIMA International Department Shahram Khasipour, and Vice President of Iran-East Africa Joint Chamber of Commerce Masoud Berahman, as well as some businessmen from the two sides.

As the ICCIMA portal reported, the attendees of the online event stressed the need for resolving banking and transportation problems and the implementation of customs agreements as major factors contributing to the development of economic ties between the two sides.

Speaking in this webinar, Alvandi mentioned the positive political relations between the two countries and noted that there are great opportunities for trade and investment between Iran and Tanzania.

Referring to Tanzania's membership in the East African Community (EAC), he continued: “This has created a good condition for Iranian businessmen to access the markets of East African countries since Iranian businessmen can use the tariff facilities of this regional union to export their goods to the region.”

Further in the seminar, Koyi referred to the long-standing relations between Iran and Tanzania, saying: “Iran is a very important and advanced country in the region, and Tanzania Chamber of Commerce is interested in expanding economic relations between the private sectors of the two countries.”

He underlined the fields of energy, petrochemicals, mining, and agriculture to be the most important areas for cooperation between the private sectors of the two countries and called on the Iranian companies to have a stronger presence in Tanzania's economic projects. - Tehran Times (Mehr News Agency, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License)

EF/MA

Students from Qatar Academy Doha (QAD) learned about world issues during a trip to Tanzania, where they met local students to learn more about education, eco-tourism, and the Maasai culture.

It is the first time a Qatar Foundation (QF) primary school has made an international trip.

The QAD is a school under QF’s Pre-University Education.

Organisers of the trip, QAD homeroom teacher Hanifa Rahman and curriculum co-ordinator Savannah Spillers, were thankful that the student’s families had put their trust in the school.

“Both the children and their parents were out of their comfort zones during this trip, and really pushed their boundaries,” said Spillers. “None of the students who came on this trip had ever been to Africa, so it was a thrill that they all got to experience something they’d never done before.”

The 18 students, with chaperones from the school and several parents, visited schools run by Africa Amini Life in Momello, which is built on Maasai land in Tanzania, and run by the Maasai people.

The students were welcomed with a traditional Maasai dance, and learned about the Maasai tribe and their culture through stories, a spear throwing activity, and arts and crafts.

During their visit, students met children from the local community at their primary and secondary schools to talk about the differences in their cultures, schools, and how they learn, as well as take part in several activities together.

One activity involved students from the QAD and Worseg Vision English Medium Academy primary schools creating artwork that resonated with each of them, showing both Maasai and Qatari heritage and lifestyles, as they discussed the differences and similarities.

The QAD students left the paintings at Worseg, where they are on display in the classroom as a reminder of their trip.

They also participated in a football match with a local team that was started by a teenager to help the community, and shared t-shirts and school supplies they had brought from Qatar as gifts.

The local students prepared a special traditional lunch for their visitors, which took place under the Africa Amini tree.

Curriculum co-ordinator Spillers is proud of how the students bonded with the Maasai people immediately, saying: “They were so energised and captivated by the Maasai culture and how they live so simply yet being completely self-sustained, recycling and growing their own foods, herding their own cattle – worlds apart from our lives in Qatar.”

“The children were so respectful and the Maasai were so happy, it was fantastic,” she added.

Student Hind al-Mutawa said: "My overall experience was amazing. The highlight of my trip was visiting the school, as well as learning about the Maasai culture and seeing the differences between their (way of) living and ours."

Describing the positive impact the trip had on her, and how the experience has given her new insight into how differently people can live, student Shaha al-Thani said: “I’d like another trip where we can learn more about other cultures and support little children because I saw how happy it made them seeing us.”

The most important thing the students learned was about the Maasai’s eco-tourism, sustainability concepts and plastics initiative: even plastic bags are banned in Tanzania, which is something the Qatar authorities recently announced.

All the plastics they have are recycled at their senior school, and go straight back into the community.

From beads for bracelets, to buttons, to the rulers they use in classrooms, there is no waste, and the QAD students were excited by the endless possibilities that type of sustainability could offer, discussing how they could implement it on their return to Qatar.

“The kids are at an age where they can have an impact, and that’s what we wanted them to recognise,” homeroom teacher Rahman said. “They have a voice, and they can make change – they’ve experienced it now, and know they can make it happen in the future.”

The students also took part in a safari and game drive during a visit to Ngorongoro Crater, the world's largest inactive, intact and unfilled volcanic caldera, and reflected on wildlife conservation and what they can do as individuals – and as a class – to help save the planet.

Rahman believes that the students were upskilled in so many ways during the trip, through learning about photography, sustainability, recycling, new cultures, and even the arts and crafts they took part in.

She also believes that children are children wherever they grow up, and that learning without walls and boundaries both in and out of the classroom is important to their development.

Spillers agreed, saying: “My favourite part of the trip was the growth I saw in our students. They really developed a newly found empathy and care for those who live in different circumstances.”
“I think they brought that back with us, along with memories that I’m sure will last a lifetime, and appreciate their own lives more now,” she added.

Student Tamim Joaan al-Thani was inspired by the trip, saying: “I learned that not everything can be easy. This was one of the best experiences ever and it’s definitely a place I want to visit again.”
“I think our visit helped them as we gave them school supplies, but we definitely learned more from them,” he added.

While the trip was the first of its kind with a QF primary school, its success with students and parents alike means there are already plans being discussed for a similar trip to take place next year, something Spillers looks forward to.

“I’ve already had parents tell me how wonderful the trip was,” she said. “I’m excited that parents see the benefits of school trips like this, and I hope it’s the first of many more to come.” - Gulf Times