Rwandan peacekeepers in western Sudan’s conflict torn region of Darfur, have helped build a school a few kilometres south of the provincial capital, El Fasher.

Members of RwanBatt23 (37 infantry battalion) of the Rwanda Defence Forces (RDF) built the school to support the sustainable development of Turba village, located in their Zamzam base neighbourhood.

Comprising two classrooms and an office, the school was officially handed over to local authorities on Sunday, in a ceremony presided over by UNAMID Force Commander, Lt. Gen. Patrick Nyamvumba.

Nyamvumba promised to furnish the school before the new school year and also pledged more support to the village, by constructing four more classrooms and a water borehole in second phase.

The Rwanbatt23 Commanding Officer, Lt. Col. Deo Rusanganwa, told The New Times yesterday that: "We put in some money, roughly 5,000 dollars [US] contributed by our officers and men.”

"And then technicians from our workshop provided other things such as windows. The locals also supported us by providing 10 percent of the labour,” Rusanganwa said.

He estimated the whole project to have cost about $16,000.

The commander emphasized that the construction of Turba School is a live testimony of good relations and cooperation between local community and UNAMID troops in general, and the Rwandan contingent in particular.

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