Development begins with dignityLater, in public service and academia, those instincts deepened. I learned that development is not abstract. It is about dignity. About equity. About whether people feel seen in the systems that shape their lives. Policies matter, but only when they translate into real change.

For Francesca, the winding road showed much of what she had learned about service. You do not always know the way. You cannot assume you have all the answers. Sometimes, the only way forward is to listen to the people who know the area.Francesca came to Lesotho from Italy as a UN Volunteer Social Policy Officer with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). She had worked in a country office before, but she wanted to move closer to the work in the field.

A national UN Volunteer, Falimanantsoa, serves with the

Years later, she did something few people do. She returned—not to her own safety, but to instability. This time, not as someone needing help, but as someone ready to carry weight.

“I proactively engaged external stakeholders, including the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and private sector partners, to explore collaboration,” 

Co-creating the futureThe seed planted in me by my father’s passion and by volunteering itself remains central throughout my career. Volunteering, I believe, turns people from passive recipients of development into co-creators of their futures. It builds sustainable solutions because communities own them, not because they receive them.

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

As the UN advances its UN 2.0 vision—more innovative, data‑driven and future‑focused—these stories remind us that change is ultimately powered by people. Volunteerism bridges global goals and local realities, turning the Sustainable Development Goals into lived experiences and offering a powerful call to action: to place service, solidarity and collective action at the center of efforts for peace, development and a more just world.

Finding purpose through service, I didn’t start volunteering with a grand plan. I joined organisations like Transparency International and Amnesty International because I cared about their causes and wanted to help. What I didn’t realize then was how much those experiences would define my future.