Volunteerism is not a transaction of time or skill. It is a long-term investment in relationships — in the social fabric that nurtures the spirit of ubuntu within communities, where giving and receiving come together to build trust, shared humanity, and collective empowerment. This understanding is particularly important in a world shaped by overlapping crises — protracted conflict, climate-related disasters, public health challenges, and deepening social divisions. Across these contexts, the capacity of people to trust one another and act collectively is under increasing strain, even as it becomes more essential.

At first glance, it’s just cables—hundreds of them, tangled and hidden from view. But these wires carry the work of an entire organization. Every email sent, system accessed, and meeting joined depends on what runs quietly through them. Such is the information and communication technology backbone of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV), a network built for today—and tomorrow.

There is a word in Kazakhstan—Asar. It describes a simple but powerful idea: when someone is in need, the community comes together to help. No contracts, no formalities, just people showing up for one another. 

That spirit has not disappeared. If anything, it has strengthened. 

В Казахстане есть слово — «асар». Оно про простую вещь: если кому-то нужна помощь,  люди собираются и помогают. Без формальностей и договоров – просто пришли и сделали.

Время, в котором мы живем, все чаще требует именно этого – откликаться, действовать, помогать. Поэтому сегодня эта добрая традиция звучит по-новому.

В XXI веке дух асара никуда не исчез. Скорее, он стал другим – шире и заметнее.

Working at the United Nations Volunteers (UNV), alongside humanitarian partners, has made one thing clear to me: when responses need to be fast, flexible, and rooted in local reality, volunteerism is not an add‑on. It is essential. Many real‑life examples support this argument. In 2025, Zahra Vaziri, a UN Volunteer, worked with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Malawi, providing on‑the‑ground support to refugees and Malawian host communities at Dzaleka Refugee Camp. Her work focused on strengthening livelihoods and building climate resilience within the camp. Zahra’s story is not an exception. It reflects the everyday reality of thousands of UN Volunteers working alongside communities, often out of the spotlight, to meet urgent needs. Yet too often, this role remains overlooked in humanitarian response.

My story begins long before I joined the United Nations. I grew up with volunteering in my blood. My father, Bill Jackson, was a senior staff member of the UN Volunteers (UNV) its early days, and through his stories, I learned early on that this work was about more than programmes—it was about serving people with dignity. I have served as UN Resident Coordinator in Kenya since 2021, after nearly thirty years of experience across international development, peacebuilding and humanitarian affairs. I have worked through post-conflict recovery in the Great Lakes, supported peacekeeping and political transitions in Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and helped launch global peacebuilding strategies in
New York and led UNDP in Gabon.

What has always driven my work is the belief that development is richer, more sustainable and more just when every person has the chance to contribute. Regardless of gender, background or circumstance, people must have the opportunity to play their part and fulfill their potential. That conviction, along with a passion for sustainable development, is what led me to join the UN and eventually UNDP.

Every day, I work to bring together the United Nations family in South Africa to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). But before this role, before the meetings, milestones and coordination, my story began with something far simpler: volunteering.

Inspired by Nelson Mandela’s words, “It is in your hands to create a better world for all,” I believe that the world changes only when people choose to act. Volunteerism was my first step, and it has shaped everything since.

Every morning, I wake up with a sense of purpose, knowing that the work I do helps build a safer, fairer world. A world where people are protected from the harms of drugs, crime, corruption and terrorism. It’s not always easy work. It challenges me, stretches me and reminds me daily why I chose this path. But my journey to this point began long before the titles and responsibilities. It began with a desire to make a difference.