Reducing maternal and neonatal mortality in Madagascar

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

In a small hospital in Ambovombe, South Madagascar, I am a gynecologist and obstetrician supporting the health needs of the local population. In doing so, I face ups and downs but my motivation to volunteer is not hampered by challenges abound. I am a UN Volunteer Reproductive Health Expert with the United Nations Populations Fund (UNFPA) and this is my story.

My name is Sadoscar Hakizimana. I am from Burundi.

I am a medical doctor by profession.

I started my volunteer assignment roughly two years ago — in August 2022.

Volunteering bridges gaps for migrants in Mongolia

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

Minkyung Cho is a UN Volunteer Associate Officer with the International Organization for Migration in Mongolia since April 2024. Her volunteer assignment is fully funded by the Republic of Korea.

Cho's fascination with Mongolia's development trajectory began during a previous project with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). Witnessing the nation's hurdles firsthand, she felt compelled to contribute on a broader scale. The UN Volunteer opportunity seemed like the perfect platform to explore the UN system's role in fostering sustainable development, especially on human mobility issues.

Working alongside government to curb malaria transmission

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

Sanjeev Roy is a UN Volunteer Provincial Malaria Officer in Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR). He is with the World Health Organization (WHO) and supports the government’s drive to curb malaria transmission in hard-to-reach areas of Attapeu, the country's southern province. From fine-tuning surveillance systems for malaria elimination to tailoring malaria interventions in an ethnically and geographically diverse context, Sanjeev gives us a brief look into his volunteer assignment that promotes Sustainable Development Goal 3 — Good health and well-being.

A national of Nepal, Sanjeev Roy joined WHO in 2022. He has previous experience in working with malaria infection in his native Nepal, which has seen considerable success in eliminating the life-threatening disease.

Data analysis for people

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

In his assignment, Abdul Halim Zaazaa, a UN Volunteer with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) turns data into action points. He serves as an Associate Reporting Officer in his native Lebanon, where through quantitative and qualitative analysis, he draws links to how programmes are prioritized within the Lebanese Response Plan.

Abdul Halim's journey with UNDP began with a deep interest in using data-driven, evidence-based approaches to tackle the humanitarian issues in Lebanon and support initiatives to build peace and stability.

For him, perhaps the most rewarding aspect of his volunteer assignment is the direct impact it has on society. "Incorporating data analysis into tangible humanitarian projects and interventions reinforces my connection with society at large. Specifically with vulnerable communities," he shares.

The voice of youth from Guinea-Bissau, São Tomé and Príncipe

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

This is a story of three UN Volunteers, Arminda Ceita, Hugo Robert Carnell and Joel Benguela D'Almeida based in Guinea-Bissau, São Tomé and Príncipe. All three believe that investing in youth skills is vital for any sort of sustainable development on the ground. Here are reflections from their service with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Arminda Ceita is a UN Volunteer Adolescent Engagement Officer with UNICEF in Guinea-Bissau. In her volunteer assignment, she pays close attention to the voice of youth and a safe space for their equal participation. 

One of Arminda’s areas of service is the well-being of adolescent girls. She also spreads awareness of climate change and gender equality.

Supporting humanitarian action through volunteering

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

Tetiana Mykytenko, Daria Satska, and Kostiantyn Boreiko serve in the context of emergency response to the war in Ukraine. All three UN Volunteers amplify the importance of humanitarian aid and necessary mechanisms in place to support people in need during crises.

Tetiana Mykytenko serves with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in Czechia. She wanted to do something positive even as things looked bleak in her home country, Ukraine.

She sought refugee in Czechia and that's when she joined UNHCR as a UN Volunteer Refugee Community-Based Protection Assistant. 

The SG's Report 'Volunteering for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development' is live

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

The Report sets out progress made by Member States and other stakeholders in creating opportunities for people from diverse backgrounds to participate in development processes through volunteering and working in partnership with volunteers to address challenges arising from conflicts, disasters and climate change.

UNV optimizes data for the future

Frederic LeMaistre, Chief, Information and Communications Technology Section at UNV
print pdf
Low quality, print optimized High quality, color print

Organizations are currently shifting their priorities to Artificial Intelligence (AI), from their survival in the competitive market to simply keeping abreast of the latest developments. Regardless of the plan to incorporate AI into projects or workplans now or later, the most critical starting point for any relevant AI-initiative is to have AI-ready data. But have organizations planned for this next step? Read my blog.

To have A-I-ready data is already a very successful differentiator for organizations over the last few years.

Being able to use large amounts of data and provide visually appealing reports and dashboards helps fact-based decision-making and brings transparency, visibility and strategic, tactical and operational benefits.

The reports and the dashboards are the visible tip of the data iceberg.

Advancing Spain's multilateral solutions through volunteering

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

Ana Lucia Londono is from Spain. She was a fully funded UN Volunteer with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)'s office in Suva, Fiji where she served as an Associate Programme Officer for Environment and Natural Resource Management. Ana Lucia's passion for marine environment and climate change adaptation led her to this volunteer assignment.

Ana Lucia began her assignment with UNDP a little more than a year ago in August 2023. She supported the pipeline development and management of UNDP climate environment programmes such as the Tonga Coastal Resilience Project — centering on the long-term resilience of vulnerable coastal communities.

Subscribe to