Facilitating safe returns with IOM Toema Ibrahim (Egypt, 24) is a UN Volunteer Migrant Protection Assistant with the International Office for Migration (IOM) in Cairo. In his work, he is facilitating the safe return of individuals from diverse nationalities to their countries of origin, and he has worked actively on IOM’s Sudan response assisting people to their countries of origin.

UN Youth Volunteer Love-lis Liljeström (Sweden) is supporting the roll out of the crisis response of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in Port Sudan. Love-lis is a Programme Liaison Affairs/Transition Affairs Assistant, and her assignment is fully funded by Sida, Sweden.

Christina Sfeir (Lebanon) is currently completing her second assignment as an Online Volunteer with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). She is offering her expertise in clinical psychology as an online counsellor for family members of OCHA staff in Sudan. Earlier this year, Christina provided similar services through OCHA to children of survivors of the earthquake in Türkiye and Syria.

Serving as a Public Health Specialist with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Khartoum, national UN Volunteer Mohamed Maher Saad works closely with the Federal Ministry of Health in data collection. He is supporting the development of a digital library which will make a health database and research available to medical personnel and students, who can also use it to publish studies and research papers.

In Yemen, UN Volunteers serving in Sana’a marked IVD with UNV Executive Coordinator Toily Kurbanov and UNV Regional Manager for the Arab States Christian Hainzl. The event was held at the premises of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and attended by representatives of UNDP, the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office and the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).

UN Volunteer Saleh Nasser, serves as an Adolescent and Youth Associate with the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Jordan. He supports skills development programmes that place youth with community and business leaders who represent role models. Such programmes help to foster connections across generations through the transfer of knowledge, while equipping youth with tools for success in their future career paths.

Azhar Sholgami, Mid-fielder of Al-Diffa Team / UN Volunteer with UNDP Sudan To me, there is no greater feeling than winning a tournament. The cheering fans, your teammates, friends, and family in the crowd. It brings people together like nothing else.

No two days are alike for Isabel. Her work in the environmental field involves the development of projects that promote sustainability and collaborative work with the local community, including the mission’s civilian and military staff.

Through the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund (PBF), which is the UN’s primary financial instrument to sustain peace in countries at risk of or affected by violent conflict, the UN system is supporting Sudan’s transition towards peace after decades of conflict. UN Volunteers are part of this effort.

For UN Volunteers, many of whom have served with UNAMID for years, this is an emotional period, particularly as they bid farewell to local communities in Darfur. Many UN Volunteers hope that their work and peace dividends gained in this peacekeeping operation over the last thirteen years can be sustained, at least for the sake of the vulnerable people who have endured suffering for far too long.