Voices that matter: Why I volunteer with UNICEF

Rutendo Banhare, UN Volunteer Communications Specialist, UNICEF Zimbabwe
print pdf
Low quality, print optimized High quality, color print

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.

My vision for a world without barriers

United Nations Volunteers
print pdf
Low quality, print optimized High quality, color print

Nadina Imamović is a UN Volunteer Programme Associate with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where she brings both personal insight and professional strength to promote disability rights. Her journey began long before her current role. In high school, she joined the U.S. Department’s Youth Exchange and Study programme, spending ten months in Ohio and earning recognition as Student of the Month. That was the beginning of her social activism and what she calls her "power of giving back.” 

Nadina has two degrees in social work from the University of Sarajevo. Through student exchanges, she connected with people from all walks of life, especially persons with disabilities—learning firsthand about their needs and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Those friendships still support her today. 

Young Ghanaians are leading, not waiting

United Nations Volunteers
print pdf
Low quality, print optimized High quality, color print

Innovation in Ghana isn’t happening in glass towers or tech parks. It’s happening in dusty classrooms, crowded bootcamps, and community halls. On International Youth Day, we bring you the story of two UN Volunteers who have a simple message: Show up. Listen. Build. And never underestimate what young people can achieve when someone believes in them. Let's hear from Rafiatu and Samuel, young Ghanaians, who aren’t waiting for permission to lead; they’re already doing it.

Meet Rafiatu Umarayi Alhassan and Samuel Peprah Bekoe. Both are UN Volunteer Field Coordinators and part of Young Africa Innovates (YAI) with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ghana, a bold initiative helping young people across all 16 regions of the country turn their ideas into solutions. 

Online Volunteer brings clarity to spatial data

print pdf
Low quality, print optimized High quality, color print

A Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Specialist, Andrii Nahornyi, transforms complex data into sharp, visual stories that drive real-world decisions. He has a degree in Geomatics and a background in spatial data analysis, cartography, and remote sensing. In 2025, Andrii joined the United Nations Development Programme's City Experiment Fund as an Online Volunteer, helping cities across Europe and Central Asia reimagine urban life. His GIS skills-powered projects are enhancing urban development—one map at a time.

Andrii began his assignment by designing a strategic plan focused on the geospatial component of the project, researching each participating city’s geographic, historical, and socio-economic context. This helped him gain a deeper understanding of the forces shaping urban development.  

"Once the groundwork was laid, I began sourcing data—vector, raster, and statistical—while organizing everything in a way that would support efficient geospatial analysis. This step was more than just data management; it was about building a foundation for meaningful insights," shares Andrii.

Peace in pixels: Digitizing Timor-Leste’s history

United Nations Volunteers
print pdf
Low quality, print optimized High quality, color print

The Republic of Korea’s path to peace has taught it a powerful lesson: rebuilding isn’t enough—remembering matters. The Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) supported an initiative in Timor-Leste to digitize the Chega National Center for Conflict Reconciliation and Peacebuilding. In partnership with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Jakarta and INFORDEPE, the project turned painful history into a tool for learning, helping ensure the trauma of the Indonesian occupation is never forgotten—or repeated. Dayoung Jeong, a young Korean professional and fully funded UN Volunteer, helped carry this mission forward—combining personal growth and a commitment to peace through education.

Dayoung served as a UN Volunteer Education Associate in Timor-Leste from August 2023 to August 2024. She was driven by her dedication to UNESCO’s mission and the strength she admired in the Timorese people. 

Dayoung reflects on how preserving the past can breathe new life into a place once defined by trauma. 

Subscribe to