"When I received my offer to serve as a UN Volunteer in MINUSCA, the peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic, I was truly terrified," says Natalia Peshkova from the Russian Federation. "Of course, I Googled the country before, but suddenly those images of uncertainty, hardship, and the struggle for peace were no longer headlines; they were about to become my reality. Let me tell you, Google is not your best friend when you are preparing to be deployed to one of the most challenging duty stations in the world."
Natalia had to prepare not only her suitcase but her mindset. This wasn’t just a job, it was a commitment to serve in a place where peace is fragile and every action matters. She continues, "Fear slowly gave way to determination as I reminded myself why I chose this path—to make a difference where it’s needed most. What awaited me was not comfort, but purpose.
After getting approximately twelve vaccines, I was officially ready for deployment. And that’s how my volunteering journey began in a small town called Kaga Bandoro, where I was a UN Volunteer Political Affairs Officer living in a military camp. My work at the time—supporting local authorities to implement a political peace agreement.
That first deployment with the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) from January to October 2023 shaped me in ways I could never have imagined. It was challenging and overwhelming, but it also gave me resilience and, more so, the confidence that I could handle more than I thought was possible. I was based in Kaga Bandoro, where I worked directly with local communities. In one instance, I led a discussion with a team of local journalists on the provisions of the Peace Agreement signed in 2019.
Overall, my role involved conducting awareness and training sessions for local communities, political actors, civil society, youth and women leaders, and religious figures on the Peace Agreement, emphasizing peaceful coexistence, dialogue, and non-violent conflict resolution.
Additionally, I designed and implemented a project to establish local mediation committees in three prefectures (Nana Gribizi, Kemo, and Ouham Fafa). These committees—bringing together community leaders, local authorities, security forces, and armed group representatives—were tasked with mediating intercommunal disputes and reducing tensions through dialogue and early conflict prevention.
When I was selected for the second time to serve as a UN Volunteer, the feeling was completely different. This time, fear had vanished—replaced by pure excitement. I now serve as an Associate Joint Operations Officer with the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). Our field office is in the town of Bunia at the Joint Operations Center, or ‘JOC’.
For those who don’t live in the world of peacekeeping, JOC is the Mission’s information hub. We work 24/7, monitoring the situation, gathering information from every component of the Mission, military, police, civilian, and the United Nations Country Teams on security, political, and human rights developments. A large part of my job is devoted to analyzing, verifying and managing security and human rights data. I identify trends and evolving security dynamics, produce analytical reports, and coordinate an early warning mechanism to inform MONUSCO’s operational responses, particularly for the Protection of Civilians (PoC).
In Bunia since September 2024, most of my main interlocutors are internal. Although I sometimes miss this aspect of the work of directly engaging with communities, like in Kaga Bandoro. But what I truly appreciate in my current role is the opportunity to see real peacekeeping in action. How crises are managed, how military, police and civilian peacekeepers coordinate and work under pressure to protect civilian lives.
Looking back, my two deployments as a UN Volunteer are far more than professional milestones—rather, life-changing experiences. They reveal a version of me I never knew existed: someone who can face hardship head-on and still find meaning, strength, and hope.
So here’s my message to anyone considering this path: don’t let fear hold you back. Feeling terrified is normal. Skip the endless Googling—it won’t show you the reality. Apply, even for the hardest duty stations. It won’t be easy, but I promise you this: it will be worth every moment."
Natalia spoke about her UN Volunteer assignment during the UNV Voices of Change webinar. To watch the session, please click here.