Nairobi, Kenya: Through the work of United Nations Volunteer Nurul Huda Chowdhury, more than 3,000 Kenyans have launched small income-generating activities through the Trickle-Up Programme, a U.S.-based initiative that provides US$100 grants to poor people to start their own businesses. His third initiative in Kenya was with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)/ World Bank MicroStart initiative. Read

What I would like to do this morning, is to address the strong link that exists between the mobilization of social capital and volunteerism. I will do that by drawing on the work of the organization that I represent, the United Nations Volunteers, or UNV. UNV is a special United Nations programme that focuses on the promotion of volunteerism as a development concept, and the mobilization of volunteers. Read

Santiago, Chile: Volunteers are deeply embedded in most cultures and should be recognized and further encouraged in their activities to strengthen civil society, Ad de Raad, Deputy Executive Coordinator of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme, said. Read

Vientiane, Lao PDR: The Government of Lao PDR and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are to act to ensure that poor people in Laos receive the help they need from village and district administrations though a process known as decentralization. Read

To support the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), the United Nations Volunteers programme (UNV) deployed an initial five UN Volunteers in May 2001. UN Volunteers' current contribution to Eritrea Currently, 10 UN Volunteers are serving outside of UNMEE. Eritrea's contribution to UN Volunteers There are nine Eritreans serving abroad as UN Volunteers. Read

Since 1972, the United Nations Volunteers programme (UNV) in Lesotho has been active in a number of areas, including agriculture, community and rural development, infrastructure development, health care and employment creation. Read

The United Nations Volunteers programme (UNV) started its work in the Central African Republic in 1973, and since that time it has strongly supported the activities of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). UN Volunteers' current contribution to the Central African Republic Currently, 33 UN Volunteers are serving in the Central African Republic. The Central African Republic's contribution to UN Volunteers Nine Central Africans are serving abroad as UN Volunteers. Read

Esmeraldas, Ecuador: The United Nations Volunteers Programme (UNV) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have launched a business and local development initiative to reduce poverty by the creation of jobs in Ecuador´s north-western province of Esmeraldas. Read

Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan: Kyrgyz President Askar Akaev has presented national UN Volunteer Maluda Tynaeva with the "Dank" award, Kyrgyzstan's highest state medal given to nationals and foreigners who have excelled in public service and have made substantial contributions to the country's development efforts. Read

Bonn, Germany: The following is an interview with H.E. Khempheng Pholsena, Vice President of the State Committee for Planning and Cooperation, Lao PDR conducted at United Nations Volunteers (UNV) headquarters in Bonn, Germany, shortly after a meeting with UNV Executive Coordinator Sharon Capeling-Alakija. Read