Torchbearers of today, leaders of tomorrow

United Nations Volunteers
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Diana Assenova, Mehmet Onat Sarıtaş and Madinabonu Salaidinova have one thing in common — They are young volunteers who believe that progress cannot be made without youth. Let's hear from them in their own words.

“By investing in education, building the capacity of community members, and fostering global citizenship, young people play a crucial role in creating a better future that is inclusive, equitable, and sustainable for generations to come.” The words of Diana Assenova, a UN Volunteer Education Assistant with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in Kazakhstan resonate with the importance of youth and progress.

Refugee rights are human rights

UN Volunteers with UNHCR
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Three Refugee UN Volunteers with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) responded to the urgent and longer-term needs of Ukrainian refugees who fled when the war started in Ukraine.  

Olena Samoilova is a Ukrainian refugee who left her home with her family when the war started in February 2022. She found refuge in Hungary the following month.

Driven by empathy and sense of responsibility to support others, she volunteered at migration service centers shortly after she arrived in Hungary.

Executive Coordinator presents UNV 2023 results at the Executive Board

New York
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Madam Chair, distinguished delegates, Associate Administrator, 

The report before the Executive Board provides a high-level summary of UNV’s work in 2023.

While it strives to comprehensively cover our activities and the hard evidence of our results, it may still lack the vivid details of the daily realities.

Instilling hope through education

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Asfia Tarannoom is a UN Volunteer Education Officer with the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Bangladesh. She supports quality education for Rohingya children and youth in Cox’s Bazar.  For Asfia, her assignment is part of UNICEF's humanitarian education response and makes a positive difference to thousands of learners living in harsh conditions in the camp. This is her story.

Asfia joined UNICEF Bangladesh in 2023. She brings a wealth of experience in early childhood education, play-based pedagogy, curriculum development, teachers’ professional development, and research.  

As an Education Officer, Asfia regularly monitors classrooms. She gives feedback to teachers on widening their skills, refining teaching techniques, and promoting a positive learning environment. All of this directly impacts academic performance.

UNV launches the first regional report on volunteering in Central Asia

New York
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The first regional Report of its kind – VCARE showcases the evolution of volunteering practices and the impact of volunteer efforts, emphasizes the value of volunteers' contributions, and identifies best practices in the region's volunteer movement.

The Report’s findings offer diverse examples of volunteer actions that can help to fast track the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in the region's five countries – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. 

Water is life

Vivianne Kiriinya, UN Volunteer Communications Specialist, UNEP
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My name is Vivianne Kiriinya. I am a UN Volunteer Communications Specialist with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) since May 2024. I am based in my home country, Kenya and I serve with the Early Warning and Assessment Division under the World Water Quality Alliance (WWQA). These are some of my reflections.

We need water to survive.

Just as much as we need air, sunlight and food. 

As a Communications Specialist, my main task is to ensure that the work of WWQA is given the attention it deserves. In addition, I raise awareness of clean drinking water in communities. 

How do I do that?

Through creative outreach — success stories, social media, the corporate website, and more.

Water is a basic human right and everyone needs to be part of the conversation.

Real time learning through volunteering

Magdeline M. Sekhu and Georgina Edwards, UN Volunteers in South Africa
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Magdeline M. Sekhu and Georgina Edwards are UN Volunteers in South Africa. They reflect on volunteering and how it brings positive change to the United Nations system in the country. This is their story.

 

Georgina Edwards, UN Volunteer Innovation Analyst with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in South Africa

After finishing my graduate degree, I interned with UN-Habitat and that set the stage for my UN career. 

Transitioning to a UN Volunteer assignment in 2021 was a turning point, allowing me to step into my dream role as an Innovation Analyst with UNFPA.

From clicks to progress in Iraq

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From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development is the theme for International Youth Day 2024. Personifying the theme are five Online Volunteers with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Iraq. Through volunteering, they illustrate how important it is to narrow the digital divide and give communities the opportunities to expand in an increasingly interconnected world. 

Digital technology is more than just a tool; it’s a lifeline, a bridge to a future with no boundaries, only limitless possibilities.

Reducing the environmental footprint

UN Volunteers with West and Central Africa
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Wanjiku Eva Muthoni and Kebbeh W. Baysah are UN Volunteers with the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). Championing the cause of reducing the environmental footprint of MONUSCO, both Wanjiku and Kebbeh serve with the Environmental Protection Unit.

With land restoration, desertification, and drought resilience at the core — MONUSCO's Environmental Protection Unit includes cleaning sites and handing them over to landowners — tasks that Wanjiku and Kebbeh are responsible for in their volunteer assignments. 

Say no to child marriage in India

UN Volunteers with UNICEF
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Poonam Kashyap is a UN Volunteer with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in India. She is based in Maharashtra, where she uses communication channels like radio broadcasts, social media, and open dialogues to educate people on the harmful practice of child marriage.

A retired Indian Army Officer with over a decade of military service, Poonam joined UNICEF in 2022 as a Child Protection Officer. She spreads the word about the negative impact of child marriage on everyone — the child plus society at large. 

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