I have always been drawn to stories—especially the kind that can move people to act. That’s why I chose to volunteer with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in communications: to show the impact of UNICEF’s work, defend children’s rights, and spotlight voices of young people.
One hot afternoon in Harare, in the course of my work, I sat down with Debbie Chinochema, a young community member and beneficiary of UNICEF programmes in Zimbabwe. She looked me in the eye, smiled shyly, and shared her story with me. Debbie lives with HIV. But more than that, she’s a fighter. A volunteer. A voice.
Through her work, she has reached thousands of her peers with messages of hope and resilience. Meeting her was more than an interview, it was a reminder of why I do this work. In her, I saw the same passion that drives me: a belief that change is possible, and that young people can lead it.
As a UN Volunteer Communications Specialist with UNICEF Zimbabwe, I have spent more than three years capturing stories like Debbie’s—real stories that reflect struggle, courage, and hope.
Like me, Debbie is a volunteer. She is driven by passion. Inspired to create change. She volunteers as a Community Adolescent Treatment Supporter and her service includes providing counselling and support to adolescents living with HIV/AIDS in Harare. She listens. She encourages. She makes them feel seen.
With a heartwarming smile, she said during our interview, “I am driven to support adolescents living with HIV/AIDS, enabling them to live their lives to the fullest. My goal is to help them be optimistic about their future. I want them to have ambition."
That stuck with me. That kind of courage and optimism can’t be taught. It inspires. It moves. And it’s why stories like Debbie’s matter.
Recently, I also met 50 students from Matabeleland South, a province in southwestern Zimbabwe. Many had never left their villages. But through a UNICEF-supported programme, they travelled to the Chimanimani Mountains to learn about the environment—and about themselves. They hiked. They rafted. They learned about climate change, biodiversity, and how their actions matter.
One student, Siphosenkosi, said: “I didn’t have pride in my country. But seeing the mountains, I understood why we must protect them.”
That trip changed how they saw the world. And their place in it. This innovative initiative—led by UNICEF Zimbabwe in collaboration with the Government of Zimbabwe and Zimbabwe’s TUI Care Foundation—promotes environmental stewardship by engaging children in nature-based learning, sustainable tourism, and climate education.
In Zimbabwe, like in many other parts of Africa and the world, young people like Debbie and Siphosenkosi are not waiting. They are leading. I have met many of them. Often carrying in them the spirit of service and a burning desire for better futures, they remind me of the power of humanity.
Volunteerism is at the heart of that belief. It’s not just service, it’s commitment. It’s facing challenges, big and small, with a determination to keep going. There are hard days, but the reward is knowing that you have helped shift something in the world, however small.
These aren’t just stories of hope. They are blueprints for what’s possible when young people are trusted, supported, and heard.
Like Debbie — standing tall beneath the sun, her voice steady, her purpose clear. Like the students from Matabeleland South, eyes wide with wonder, discovering the power of their voice and the value of their land. They are not waiting for change. They are becoming it—through action, through courage, through community.
In their steps, I see the path forward for all of us. And that gives me hope.