Supporting children's rights in Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde

Kátia Bampoky and Clara Garcia are UN Volunteers with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde. From supporting community health workers to educating children on hygiene and access to clean water, both Kátia and Clara add value to UNICEF's mandate and are our inspiration in action.

Kátia Bampoky is an Inclusive Health Care Officer with UNICEF in Guinea-Bissau and supports child protection and health services for vulnerable children and their families. She focuses on training social workers and community health professionals on inclusion so care is given to everyone without discrimination. She also supports cases of violence against children and women—including gender-based violence.

Health Line 24 is a hotline that helps social workers manage cases of abuse and violence against children by providing accessible health information and handling referrals. Kátia partnered with local health and child protection organizations to make sure this initiative hits the ground running.

Since its launch, Health Line 24 has received more than 2,600 calls, mainly from the regions of Bissau, Bafatá, and Cacheu, offering essential assistance to those in need.

Seeing that our efforts protect children and support isolated families is fulfilling." Kátia Bampoky, UN Volunteer Inclusive Health Care Officer with UNICEF.

In Cape Verde, Clara Garcia is an Information Management Officer for the Education and Early Childhood Development portfolio for UNICEF.

Clara has come up with monitoring and evaluation tools to improve education projects and their effectiveness. Her experience in Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) programmes supports schools with resources and educates children on hygiene and access to clean water.

"Hearing the confidence and determination of girls to drive positive change in their communities reminds me of the power of young voices in building a better future." Clara Garcia, UN Volunteer Information Management Officer for the Education and Early Childhood Development portfolio with UNICEF.

Embracing the journey of volunteering with an open heart, both Kátia and Clara support projects knowing that every moment they spend is building a better future for the children and communities they serve.