Addis Ababa: The National Voluntary Service has been contributing to the economic and social development of the country, according to Ministry of Peace. In an exclusive interview with ENA, National Voluntary Service Lead Executive Gemechis Eticha said the voluntary service program is aimed at creating social cohesion between citizens, strengthening national consensus, sustainable peace, and nation building. Accordingly, more than 75,000 youths have been deployed for six months service in different parts of the country since 2020 after a month-long training, he added. The lead executive revealed that activities worth over 340 million Birr were carried out through the national voluntary service program in the concluded Ethiopian fiscal year. The ministry also deployed more than 16,000 students from 32 universities this rainy season after providing them with short-term training. The students were engaged in various activities, including creating awareness about voluntary service, building and renovating hou ses, planting seedlings, beautifying the 33 cities and districts, among others, the lead executive elaborated. Moreover, the volunteers have mobilized about 653,000 persons to take part in cleaning and beautifying their communities, Gemechis said. The Ethiopian national voluntary youth service program was launched in 2020 to mobilize volunteer youth across the country with the view to enhancing sense of national unity, social cohesion, peace and stability, volunteerism and public service. The lead executive said preparations are also underway to carry out cross-border voluntary service by Ethiopian youth. Source : Ethiopian News Agency