Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo: In Kinshasa, about 20,350 children are without family care. With partners, we implement projects that prevent children from living this way, and provide vocational training to others. Families empowered with income generating activities become able to take care of children. Read

“The biggest challenge is when I have to put on big shoes and walk the same way I do with my normal size shoes,” says UN Volunteer Elisha Laizer. By this I mean: “When my clients expect quality service regardless of the in­adequate resources I have on the ground.” Read

Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo: I am responsible for receiving and distributing human red blood cells meant for transfusion to MONUSCO staff in need. It is my task to move with the blood to ensure that it is safe for transfusion. Read

Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo: International Volunteer Day was celebrated in Kinshasa and other parts of the country on Saturday 5 December. UNV volunteers assigned to MONUC and to UN agencies were the initiators of a series of activities around the theme 'Volunteering for our Planet'. Read

Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo: UNV volunteers are a familiar sight in UN peacekeeping missions, and many work hand-in-hand with the military.

Kristen Petillon, one of six UNV volunteers deployed with Joint Protection Teams in North Kivu, talks about his work keeping civilians safe and human rights respected. Read

Monrovia, Liberia and Kinshasa, DRC: Top UN official Helen Clark has joined Liberian Government ministers and community leaders to launch a new UNV-supported volunteering initiative aimed at spreading a message of peace, before making her way to meet UNV's biggest operation. Read

Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo: On 29 May, in recognition of World Environment Day celebrated on 5 June 2009, the UNV support team from the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) planted several indigenous trees in the green areas of Congo Batiment in Kinshasa. Read

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: There are positive signs that we are entering a new age of volunteerism. National service has been an important means of nation-building in many countries, and there are now unprecedented opportunities for committed and talented individuals to channel their passions and energies toward building a better tomorrow through organisations such as the United Nations Volunteers (UNV). Read

El Obeid, Sudan: It is a great pleasure being a UNV volunteer and contributing to peace in Sudan in the same way as those who volunteered to build peace in my own country. Read

Sector East, Côte d'Ivoire: Being a volunteer means to show others that there is more happiness in giving than receiving. There is more joy to serve than to be served. It means to help those who can't do anything for you in return, to create a better world where money is not a priority. Read