"You start counting your blessings when you meet people who’ve lost everything." That’s what hit Sára Sívková the moment she began working with refugees in the Republic of Moldova. She didn’t come in with a cape. She came in with curiosity, grit, and a UN Volunteer assignment that was initially funded by her home country, Czechia, in 2023. Two years later and to date, she is still working as a frontline humanitarian, an Associate Protection Officer, coordinating protection efforts across UN agencies, NGOs, and government offices with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) to support refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine. 

Lisa Weber didn’t set out to change the world. While finishing her graduate studies, she spent time tutoring refugee children in Erfurt, Germany. What began as a simple act of kindness opened her eyes to the power of empathy, solidarity, and understanding—and set her on a path that would lead to a global career in evaluation as a UN Volunteer. An Evaluation Specialist with the World Health Organization, Lisa focuses on how the organization learns from its work and improves how it serves communities worldwide. She is based at the WHO Budapest Center, while her team operates from Geneva. 

The United Nations is powered by people—especially the thousands of volunteers who show up, speak out, and serve. Whether building peace, defending rights, or delivering care, volunteers face tough missions, hidden challenges, and unexpected setbacks. But one thing never changes: their commitment, solidarity and compassion.  Eighty years on, the United Nations remains a force for peace and progress, and today, on United Nations Day, we share six stories of volunteers who lend a listening ear and deliver life-saving aid, breathing life into the words: inspiration in action.