UN Headquarters, New York : The Executive Coordinator of UNV, Ms. Flavia Pansieri, and Mr. Nikhil Seth, Director of the Division of Sustainable Development at the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), are jointly launching today the Volunteer Action Counts campaign, to count people’s action around the world for sustainable development. Read

Bonn/London: A new partnership between the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme and VSO, announced today, will maximize the potential of volunteering to help citizens drive development forward themselves. The UNV-VSO partnership aims to increase the positive impact that volunteering can have on empowering marginalized communities. Read

World Health Day on 7 April provides an opportunity to focus on a single health challenge with global impact.  The theme of the Day this year is Ageing and health: Good health adds life to years.

Good health not only enables older men and women to live longer, but also extends their active involvement in all levels of society.  When able to participate fully, older people are resources for their families and communities throughout the world. Volunteers provide important support in enabling older men and women to participate fully in their communities. Visit site

“It is a known fact that retirees and older people are a vital resource for societies. We only need to find ways to tap into their life experience and talents... Online volunteering is one way of doing that.

Retirees have left behind their work place but not their professional and human talents. They want to remain engaged and to be useful in one way or another.” Read

“The invaluable experience and expertise of older people should be tapped into by companies, institutions, local and central governments, schools and universities, engaging them as consultants in diverse areas.” Read

“Give us a chance. Some of the seniors have much to offer but don't know how to start, where to go online, and whom to contact. Once we get involved, it is like resurrecting...we find again a purpose for our lives.” Read

Birao, Central African Republic & Abeche, Chad: “Without a doubt my most memorable experience was as (Officer in Charge) during a period of some of the heaviest rains in Abeche. While many slept peacefully and enjoyed the sound of raindrops on their roofs, I was having nightmares thinking about how this was going to affect our operations the next day.” Read

Choma, Zambia: “Zambia’s abundant wetlands remind me of the Philippines,” said Tom. “I take every opportunity to share proven techniques we use in my homeland that can improve farms’ efficiency and increase food production.”

“For example, I suggested rice, a viable crop for Zambia’s wetlands, to the youth group. By digging the irrigation canals deep enough between the crop beds, they can farm fish alongside the rice. Earth excavated from the canals is used to raise the level of other crop beds above water to grow different high value crops.” Read

Timor-Leste: “As a volunteer working directly with the people in the community, I managed to share my knowledge, skills and experiences of several years and was able to make a substantial difference in the food security and livelihoods of poor and disadvantaged people through enhanced food production, improved nutrition and increased income.” Read

Guatemala: “This project particularly interested me for two reasons.  First, it focused on eradicating one of the great problems of our world; hunger and malnutrition.  Second, as a project focused on a Latin American country, it increased my interest in being a part of it.” Read