What has always driven my work is the belief that development is richer, more sustainable and more just when every person has the chance to contribute. Regardless of gender, background or circumstance, people must have the opportunity to play their part and fulfill their potential. That conviction, along with a passion for sustainable development, is what led me to join the UN and eventually UNDP.
Working across UN headquarters and country offices, I have been inspired by countless colleagues who dedicate themselves to impact. But inspiration also comes from outside the UN. When I travel to communities across Malawi or speak with mothers, farmers, entrepreneurs and people building better lives for their families, I am reminded why I do this work; not because of a job title, but because of a calling that began as many meaningful things do, with volunteering.
A volunteer at heart
Before I took on the title of Resident Representative, I was a UN Volunteer, proud and wide-eyed, deployed to Kosovo* after the war in 1998. It was a place scarred by conflict but alive with resilience. I was there to help with civil registration for the first post-war elections. The role wasn’t glamorous. It was challenging, meticulous and at times overwhelming.
I was posted to a district called Viti (or Vitina), where I led a team of both national and international UN Volunteers. Together, we registered the entire population of that district in just six months. It was a mammoth task, and yet we did it day by day, name by name.
I was the only international woman volunteer in the team, surrounded by male colleagues in a post-conflict setting. But that never stopped me. In fact, it strengthened my resolve.
I was proud not just of what we achieved for Kosovo*, but of what it meant for me, as a woman leading in complex environments. That experience became a defining milestone in my journey, not just professionally, but personally. It showed me the power of determination, of inclusion and of what happens when people from all walks of life come together for something bigger than themselves.
Service in many forms
After Kosovo, I served as a volunteer firefighter in my home country, New Zealand, running into emergencies when others were running out. It may sound like a world away from development work, but at its core, it was the same calling: to serve, to protect and to stand up for community. These experiences – civil registration in war-torn regions, emergency response in my hometown – taught me that service knows no borders, no titles, and no limits.
The path to UNDP
Years later, as Resident Representative at UNDP in Comoros, together with the government, we positioned UNDP as a trusted partner of choice for national development planning and financial reform. We advanced women’s economic and social empowerment, recognizing how central women are to inclusive growth in small island states. We supported environmental stewardship, including the recognition of Moheli as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve – a reminder that protecting fragile ecosystems is inseparable from protecting lives.
And we did all this while keeping the wellbeing of our staff at the center.
For me, leadership is never just about strategies. It is about nurturing a team culture where people feel safe, valued, and empowered to do their best work. The COVID-19 pandemic, however, tested that conviction in ways I could not have imagined.
In fragile settings like Comoros, you cannot work remotely and hope to make a difference. That meant leading from the front even as risks mounted. Some of our staff fell ill. Some had to be evacuated. Every decision weighed heavily, balancing delivery with safety. What got us through was a sense of collective purpose – the understanding that, in moments of crisis, our presence matters. UNDP was not just delivering programmes; we were saving lives.
When I moved to Malawi, I carried those lessons with me. Malawi, like Comoros, is a country where the challenges of climate change, economic vulnerability and inequality intersect in complex ways.
Here too, I have seen how volunteers strengthen resilience, from supporting flood responses to driving youth-led innovation in communities. Their contribution affirms what I have always believed: individually, we are one drop; together, we are an ocean. A pathway for everyone.
Throughout my leadership journey, I have seen how volunteering opens doors, not just for those we serve, but for those who serve. Whether young or old, a student or a retiree, from a big city or a rural village, volunteerism is always a way to connect to humanity: a way to learn, grow and give.
In Comoros, for example, I saw first-hand how volunteers sustained fragile systems when institutions were stretched thin. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when borders were closed and resources were scarce, it was the UN Volunteers and national volunteers who stepped forward. They staffed emergency systems, supported public awareness campaigns and helped us mitigate the pandemic’s impact in villages that might otherwise have been left behind.
Their courage and humanity gave UNDP’s interventions real meaning. And what I love about the UN Volunteers programme is that it welcomes this diversity. It proves that impact isn’t reserved for those with decades of experience or multiple degrees. It shows that commitment,compassion and courage are enough to change lives.
Looking back
Throughout my career, what stays with me are not just the projects delivered or the policies shaped, but the moments of human connection: a volunteer in Comoros explaining how she convinced her village to adopt health measures during COVID-19; a Malawian woman sharing her dream of starting a climate-smart business; a colleague finding the courage to take leave after years of burnout because we created an environment where wellbeing is valued.
For me, leadership is not measured in titles or reports. It is measured in the lives touched, the dignity restored and the collective resilience built along the way. That is why, even in the hardest moments, I remain inspired. Because I know that when people are given the chance to contribute, their voices are heard and their potential unlocked, development becomes not just possible, but transformative.
A call to serve
You don’t need to cross oceans. You can start where you are. Volunteerism is not just about where you serve. It is about how you serve. It is about saying, “I am here. I can help. I choose to care.”
In a world facing so many interconnected challenges, volunteerism is a bridge that connects us. It is how we bring the Sustainable Development Goals closer to reality, not through grand gestures alone, but through everyday acts of humanity.
So, wherever you are, whatever your background, say yes to showing up, to giving back, to making a difference. You never know how far that first act of service might lead you.
This blog is part of Journeys of Inspiration, a photobook. Many of the leaders whose stories are captured in this book began their journeys not in positions of authority, but in service—as UN Volunteers, as community activists, as individuals determined to make a difference. The book will be launched on 20 April 2026.
*All references to Kosovo, whether to the territory, institutions or population, shall be understood in full compliance with United Nations Security Council resolution 1244.