On International Translation Day, we look at the role of translators and editors who shape volunteer stories—from Africa to Asia to Europe and Latin America. Beyond linguistic accuracy, they are entrusted with preserving the soul of a story. When acts of service are rooted in cultural values, literal translation can dilute meaning. Word-for-word translation is rarely effective. Grammar, expressions, and sentence structures vary, so translators must reshape language while preserving the original’s authenticity. This work demands sensitivity, cultural understanding, and ethical responsibility. 

At every step, we must ask: Does this translation honour the intent and emotion of the original thought? 

Northwest Nigeria is experiencing intersecting challenges including violence, climate-related disruptions, and economic instability. These factors have affected family structures and reduced confidence in local institutions. Armed groups have interfered with daily activities, contributing to a humanitarian crisis. Yet amidst these challenges, volunteers are stepping up—not as outsiders, but as insiders—to make change possible. Dennis Bwala and Adamu Garba share how they are helping rebuild trust and strengthen the communities they call home.

“What people believe shapes how they vote, how they trust, and how they live together,” says Sagar from Sierra Leone. He is one of 47 UN Volunteers in West and Central Africa supported by the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund (PBF), the UN’s instrument for providing rapid, flexible support to countries emerging from conflict or facing fragility. Peace doesn’t always begin with treaties or declarations. In fragile contexts, it often starts quietly—with reliable voices on the airwaves—a training where women speak freely, or a story shared online that reflects a community’s hope. All you have to do is listen!

Across the Global South, countries are sharing ideas, solving problems together, and building a better future. At the heart of this movement is the Global South-South Development Center (GSSDC)—a dynamic hub for innovation and partnership, powered by the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) and the Government of China. The GSSDC taps into China’s network of 50 technical institutions, making it a hotspot for collaboration, and that's where UN Volunteers—Jialin Zhang and Jingchuan Alex Mu—step in.  
 

In the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, silence speaks volumes. Schools stand empty. Families flee in the night. Communities carry wounds no one sees. This region is home to one of the world’s most complex humanitarian crises, with some 6.9 million internally displaced and over 5 million living in the eastern provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu, and Ituri. Amidst this turmoil, in places like Beni and Goma, Kakessiwa Kokou Komlan and Laetitia Furaha show up every day—not for recognition, but to build peace. They are UN Volunteers.

The circle is small but tense. We are sitting under a tree in a village in Unity State, South Sudan. Men, women, and youth lean forward on low stools. Some carry anger in their voices as they speak of cattle taken in raids. Others speak quietly about children forced into early marriages. A young man stands to confess he fears retaliation for a revenge killing.

The lead deminer raised his hand—and silence swept across Amadi. A dog stepped forward, nose trained to detect danger buried deep in the soil. Children watched from a distance, eyes wide with fear, hope, and curiosity. We were in Durupi, Central Equatoria State—a community that had long abandoned its fields due to explosive remnants of war. Farming had stopped. Life had paused. But on this morning, the United Nations Mine Action Service, the National Mine Action Authority, and their partners showed what reclaiming safety looks like. With protective gear, precise steps, and canine partners, they turned fear into farmland.