Banda Aceh, Indonesia: It was the children who were most affected by the tsunami, according to Dr. Yunita, a physician from Jakarta who served as a UN Volunteer for two months in Banda Aceh, working at the Bina Mandiri Crisis Centre, a volunteer-run trauma counselling and medical clinic set up in a district of the city that was nearly levelled by the tidal wave's massive force. Read

Matara, Sri Lanka: They talk to community members. More importantly, they listen to them.  And they learned how to save lives. These, and more, are part of the daily grind UN Volunteers fulfill in mitigating disaster and coordinating relief and recovery in tsunami-devastated Sri Lanka. Read

Gurraidho, Maldives: More than 11,000 Maldivians have had their incomes severely disrupted and are still in immediate need of assistance to get back on their feet following the tsunami. Read

Bonn, Germany: The Government of Germany has contributed US $1 million to support the contribution of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme in the recovery and rehabilitation of communities in Pakistan following the 8 October earthquake. Read

Islamabad, Pakistan/Bonn, Germany: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme are committed to supporting Pakistan in implementing its National Volunteer Movement (NVM), an initiative launched on 1 November to respond to the massive relief and reconstruction effort in quake-devastated areas of Pakistan. Read

Geneva, Switzerland: Kemal Dervis, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and António Guterres, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), yesterday signed a global Memorandum of Understanding to further strengthen the role of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme in responding to the plight of refugees worldwide. Read

Bonn, Germany: The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is mobilizing Pakistani and international UN Volunteers to support relief activities following the 8 October earthquake that devastated northern Pakistan. Read

Bonn, Germany: Thirty-five United Nations Volunteers (UNV), together with Guatemalan and United Nations counterparts, are helping coordinate relief and recovery efforts following the devastation caused by tropical storm Stan. Read

Volunteerism is essential in preventing and reducing vulnerability to natural disasters. Early warning systems are one example where volunteerism helps to strengthen the resilience of communities.Volunteerism also serves as an effective support system in the wake of a disaster. Volunteering also plays a central role in post-disaster reconstruction efforts. Read

Bonn, Germany: A new agreement signed earlier this week between the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) will help coastal communities in Sri Lanka get back on track from the devastating impact of the 26 December tsunamis. Read