UN Systems in Kenya celebrates 66th Anniversary of the UN Day

Pamela receives a UN Award from Vice President Hon. Kalonzo Musyoka as UNON Director General Sahle -Work Zewde looks on

( Nairobi, 26 October 2011 ) -The United Nations Office at Nairobi, on 24 October, marked the 66th anniversary of the United Nations Day.
The event was attended by over 500 guests, among them Kenya’s vice president Hon. Kalonzo Musyoka who graced the occasion and acknowledged the role the United Nations continues to play in addressing gender equality, combating injustice, man-made and natural calamities, and averting climate change.  He also touched on the upcoming 17th Conference of the Parties (COP 17) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to be held in Durban from 28 November to 9 December 2011, and called on the UN system to take the lead in promoting environmental sustainability. In this regard, Vice President Musyoka applauded the opening of the new energy and carbon neutral UNEP and UN-HABITAT Offices situated at UNON as a show-case of a sustainable future.

Turning to the security situation in the sub-region, the Vice President noted how the state of affairs in Somalia posed a major challenge to international peace and security, as well as to the credibility of the United Nations.  He emphasized how the dramatic developments in Somalia in the last few weeks had “opened a window of opportunity for the United Nations to be more seized with returning to normalcy to this African country that has not known any peace for the past 21 years”. 

The UN Day event reached its climax when the Vice President honoured the winner of the 2011 UN Award, Ms. Pamela Achieng’ Sombe for her exemplary performance as a nurse in a remote dispensary in Nyanza province.  Her work demands that she goes beyond the call of duty to ensure safe deliveries for women from her neighbourhood. In her speech, Ms. Sombe gave an account of her work and the challenges she encounters on a daily basis, one being working with only basic equipment and supplies.  Ms Sombe has assisted several women who come to the dispensary with advanced labour to deliver safely. Without her help, these women and their children would probably be part of the statistics of those dying while delivering at home.

Nduru kadero, in Nyanza Province in Kenya, where Ms.Sombe has worked since 2006, is a dispensary right at the bottom of the ranking of government health facilities in the country. The dispensary has no delivery ward or a labour room but rather a small bed shielded from view by a cardboard wall.   In her own small way, Nurse Pamela Achieng’ Sombe is making a contribution towards the Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5 (Reducing child mortality and Improving maternal health). While accepting her award, Ms. Sombe dedicated it to all the nurses in Kenya who work tirelessly to save human lives. The runner-up for the award was 36 year old Leah Mwangi who was recognized for her outstanding volunteer work in forest conservation and poverty alleviation. Her efforts have seen over 37,000 hectares of forest conserved and the community empowered to make their livelihoods through agro-forestry. Ms Mwangi works with the Kijabe Environment Volunteers (KENVO) a local youth group involved in environmental conservation and specifically forest conservation in Kenya. 

The Director-General of UNON. Ms Sahle-Work Zewde delivered the Secretary General’s message and also expressed her gratefulness for the support, encouragement, warm welcome and the commitment of the Kenyan government to the work of the Organization.

Prior to the main event, a week long exhibition, by various UN agencies was mounted at UNON, focusing on the progress of the attainment of the MDGs in the country. In addition, United Nations Agencies displayed their information materials and posters to explain their work. Information materials were also distributed to the visitors.

The commemoration was attended by Mr. Clos Joan, Executive Director UN Habitat and the Mr. Aeneas Chuma UNDP Resident Representative as well as Mr. Alexander Barabanov Head of Administration UNON. Others included the media, Government Officials, members of the Diplomatic corps, civil society organizations and educational institutions. Entertainment was provided by Green Garden Primary School, Burundian traditional dancers and a local poet who recited a poem entitled “From My Window” citing the eight MDGs.

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