Humanity in Action: Six Stories of Courage and Compassion

United Nations Volunteers
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From Ukraine to Gaza, Sudan to Myanmar, violence continues to uproot lives. In Yemen and beyond, bombs and bullets drown out voices. In 2024, civilian deaths in conflict rose by 40 percent, says the UN Human Rights Office. These aren’t just numbers—they’re people. Each life lost, each family displaced, carries deep pain. Yet, amid the chaos, humanitarians step forward. They deliver aid, offer safety, and defend human rights. On World Humanitarian Day, we spotlight six stories that show the heart behind every humanitarian response and the power of compassion in action.

Yeran Kejijian knows what it means to be displaced. Her grandparents were refugees in Lebanon, and their stories shaped her path. Now, as the United Nations Volunteers Country Coordinator for Lebanon and Syria, Yeran helps Syrians return home after years of exile. For her, rebuilding communities isn’t just about logistics—it’s about restoring dignity. 

Inspired by the power of possibility—my volunteer journey

Katarzyna Wawiernia, former UN Volunteer, currently Resident Representative, UNDP Kazakhstan
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What began as a simple online application turned into a transformative journey across continents. From advising microfinance banks in Mozambique to managing budgets for multimillion-dollar health programmes in Angola to supporting development initiatives in Guinea-Bissau, Malawi, and São Tomé and Príncipe, and now leading the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) efforts in Kazakhstan, this is my story. And it started off as a volunteer in the United Nations system.

I’m Katarzyna Wawiernia from Poland. My volunteer journey began with a simple step: I applied. At the time, I was working in northern Mozambique as a microfinance advisor, helping five local banks support income-generating projects for people living in poverty. When I saw the UN Volunteers ad, I went for it. Despite the myth that joining the United Nations is tough, my process was smooth—just a few exams and I was in.

Rising to the flood: Volunteers rebuilding Nepal

United Nations Volunteers
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When record-breaking rains hit Nepal in September 2024, floods and landslides swept across the country, affecting over 70,000 people and claiming more than 225 lives. Over 1,500 public buildings were damaged. As the crisis unfolded, 16 UN Volunteers rushed to the hardest-hit areas. They gathered critical data, managed the flow of information, and helped coordinate relief efforts. These young humanitarians didn’t just deliver aid—they brought back hope and helped communities rebuild the damaged infrastructure. 

Among them was Hotrika Joshi, a UN Volunteer with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), who was based in Roshi Rural Municipality in Kavrepalanchok District, where ten lives were lost and hundreds of homes and farmlands were destroyed. 

Where strength lives: Mbire’s story in the words of a volunteer

Valentine Gwerevende, Communications Assistant, UNDP Zimbabwe
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You do not forget places like Mbire—a remote district in northern Zimbabwe. The heat. The dust. The quiet between the homesteads. But more than anything, you remember the people. Their strength. Their stories. Their steps forward, even when the odds are against them.

I recently travelled to Mbire with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Zimbabwe communications team. As a UN Volunteer, my job was to help tell the stories of women and families we met. We were documenting the impact of a One-stop Centre provided by UNDP in collaboration with the Zimbabwe Gender Commission. The initiative started in response to alarming findings from a national inquiry on child marriages and abuse of young girls, including those with disabilities. 

Voices that matter: Why I volunteer with UNICEF

Rutendo Banhare, UN Volunteer Communications Specialist, UNICEF Zimbabwe
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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
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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
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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. 

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