Bonn, Germany: The Bonn-based UN Volunteers programme is scaling up its involvement in Afghanistan. Currently, 19 United Nations Volunteers based in Pakistan are providing support for activities of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the World Food Programme (WFP), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). Read

Dessie, Ethiopia: On foot or horseback, UN Volunteer and physiotherapist Runa Andersen from Denmark reaches Ethiopian villages where she combats nature's enemy crippling boys and young men -- the grass pea. Read

Pristina, Kosovo: When the message popped up on Rick Rutledge's computer screen he first thought it was a joke. But within a few weeks of double-clicking on it, the 38-year-old locomotive driver from western Canada was on his way to Kosovo. Rutledge, a train engineer at BC Rail in British Columbia, took three months off from his own job to come to Kosovo as a UN Volunteer, lending his expertise to the province's struggling railway operations. Read

Bonn, Germany: The United Nations Information Technology Service (UNITeS) has been nominated as a finalist for the Stockholm Challenge Award for its efforts to support rehabilitation efforts in the wake of a devastating super cyclone in Orissa, India. Read

Bonn, Germany/Stockholm, Sweden: The Swedish telecommunications corporation Ericsson has donated 280 mobile phones to the Bonn-based United Nations Volunteers programme (UNV) to help increase security of personnel in relief operations worldwide. Read

Bonn, Germany: Youth volunteering in the Arab States 2001. Read

Bonn, Germany: Two strong earthquakes shook El Salvador in January and February 2001, leaving widespread damage throughout the country. This prompted a call to action for the country's National IVY Committee. Salvadorean UN Volunteer and volunteer promoter, Felix Arevalo, and Spanish UNV Programme Officer Cristina Herrero spearheaded a campaign to mobilize volunteer action in support of those most affected. Read

Bonn, Germany: The United Nations Volunteers programme (UNV) has received a donation of US$100,000 from its Honorary Ambassador, Mr. Takehito Nakata of Japan, for its work in the area of human security. Read

Gujarat, India: Anyone passing these days through Anjar, Bacchau, Bhuj, Gandhidham, Rapar, Maliya and Morbi towns in Gujarat, India, would be shocked at the devastation caused by the earthquake of 26 January 2001 that measured 6.9 on the Richter Scale. Over 100 high-rise apartments built during the past five years have either been reduced to rubble or damaged enough to be declared unsafe. Even the upper-class houses that have withstood the earthquake have suffered severe cracks. Read

Bonn, Germany: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations Volunteers (UNV) are recruiting 107 National UN Volunteers to help coordinate the distribution of relief items in the earthquake stricken region of Gujarat in northwestern India. Read