Yoojeong Jeong’s journey into refugee protection did not begin in the field—but in the pages of her Master’s thesis on Rohingya refugees. Yet even as she researched, a deeper calling stirred. “I kept thinking—this isn’t where I’m meant to be. I need to be out there, with the people."
After she graduated, Yoojeong discovered that being a Korean national, she could apply for the fully funded UN Volunteer opportunities with the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). She sent in her application for the role of a UN Volunteer Operational Data Management Associate with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).
Despite her interest, she had doubts. “I had zero background in data,” she admits. “I was skeptical that I’d even be considered. I told my future supervisor, ‘I don’t have experience in data—but I’m eager to learn." Her curiosity and eagerness took her from her home country to a continent she had never traveled to, nor knew much about.
Yoojeong went to Kenya, one of the largest host countries for refugees in Africa. In 2021, Kenya was home to approximately 540,000 refugees and asylum seekers, and by June 2025, that number had increased to 854,876. The majority of refugees originate from Somalia, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Ethiopia. UNHCR maintains offices in Nairobi, Kakuma, and Dadaab—with Kakuma and Dadaab serving as critical hubs for refugee protection and assistance. These sites continue to serve as lifelines for individuals and families forced into displacement by conflict, persecution, and crisis across the region.
She worked closely with data teams in the camps, transforming raw information into statistical reports. At the same time, she supported the protection team by identifying vulnerable individuals—such as single-parent households or people with serious medical conditions—for financial assistance.
“Every two weeks, we held a financial assistance panel. I helped facilitate discussions from a data perspective. We’d go case by case—‘Refugee A will receive assistance, Refugee B won’t’—based on established criteria.” Once approved, she would compile personal data for bank processing and coordinate with UNHCR’s finance team to ensure timely fund transfers.
One of the biggest challenges, she recalls, was coordinating with field offices and the refugee camps. “There are constant emergencies, and even our data colleagues were overwhelmed. I had to follow up repeatedly to get the necessary data for reporting. Sometimes it meant chasing people who were deep in the field and at times unreachable by phone.”
Even this challenge didn't bind Yoojeong. She had a solution and tweaked her communication strategy. “We acknowledged how demanding the fieldwork is but also emphasized our deadlines. After that, I started giving them deadlines a week in advance to help everyone stay on track. That helped.”
Over time, her perspective on data transformed. “At first, I felt distant. I was working with numbers, not people. But the more I worked, the more I began to see the stories behind the data—where people came from, why they fled. That changed everything.”
She came to see that data isn’t just numbers—it’s people’s lives. “When you’re dealing with hundreds of thousands of refugees, you can’t rely on assumptions. Data shows how many are women and children, how many are unaccompanied minors, or living with disabilities. That helps us design better, more targeted programmes.”
Yoojeong also recognized the unique value of being a UN Volunteer. “Most UN agencies are understaffed, and UNHCR is no exception. You’re not treated as ‘just a volunteer’—you’re treated like any other staff member. If you’re capable and committed, you’re given real responsibilities. I had a full workload from the beginning.”
Yoojeong served as a UN Volunteer from August 2021 to August 2022. Her volunteer assignment became the foundation for a career in international protection and justice. Following her service in Kenya, she continued her work as an Assistant Operational Data Management Officer, supporting child protection efforts, and later served as an Associate Protection Officer in Kuwait under another Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs-funded role. There, she conducted refugee status determination interviews and facilitated resettlement for individuals facing serious risk—helping them find safety in countries like Canada, the United States of America, and across Europe.
Today, Yoojeong Jeong brings her skills and deep commitment to justice at the International Criminal Court in The Hague. Her journey—from volunteering with refugees to working in global protection—shows how service and solidarity can lead to real change. It’s a story of personal growth, but more importantly, it’s about restoring dignity, safety, and hope to people forced to flee their homes.
This story is part of a special feature marking twenty years of KOICA and UNV partnership. For more information about UN Volunteer assignments and how you can get involved, click here. To read our stories, click here.
The story was also published in Korean by KOICA.