Pakistani peacekeepers train Central African Republic’s young people in carpentry

UNITED NATIONS, Oct 24 (APP):Forty-nine young people from the Nana Gribizi prefecture in the Central African Republic (CAR) have graduated from a carpentry course carried out by Pakistani’s “Blue Helmets” serving with MINUSCA, the UN peacekeeping operation deployed in the country, according to a report received in New York on Tuesday.
Professional carpenters from the Pakistan contingent carried out the training which focused on the acquisition of technical skills in basic carpentry namely cutting and assembly. A graduation ceremony was held on Oct. 15 at which each beneficiary received a complete carpentry kit that included hand saws, hammers, measuring tape, pliers and other materials.
Pakistan is the second largest contributor of military personnel to MINUSCA with more than 1,250 currently deployed. Their main task of ensuring the security of the local population was greatly appreciated by the participants and the local authorities, the report said.
The Prefect of Nana Gribizi, Abdoulaye Mahamat, thanked the Pakistani contingent, saying, “These young people will now be able to get out of unemployment by themselves. ”
Representing the contingent commander, the officer-in-charge of civil-military cooperation, Major Abdul Wahab promised to contribute to the local community as has been the case so far.
In a recent communications campaign carried out by the UN’s Department of Public Information, Pakistani peacekeepers were lauded for their long history of providing skills training to young people in war-torn countries to help them find employment and to support the countries’ economic recovery.