My name is Zahra Vaziri. I am from Iran. I serve as a UN Volunteer Associate Programme Officer with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in Malawi. My role is to help ensure that humanitarian projects are not only implemented, but that they bring dignity, opportunity, and hope to both refugees and the communities that host them. I also make sure that the projects we design and fund are not only implemented but also carry meaning for the people who live here. 

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. 

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.

I come from Inhambane City, a small town in southern Mozambique. I am currently based in Nampula Province, where I have been serving as a UN Volunteer with UNFPA since February 2023. Child marriage impacts far too many girls, far too early in life. I help local partners by offering support and helping organize activities like mentoring, getting children back into school, and improving access to health services, especially those related to sexual and reproductive health.

Long before the UN Volunteer role, I was already doing volunteer work. I grew up volunteering—joining community initiatives, working with refugee-led organizations, and offering support where I could. In 2015, I became an interpreter for UNHCR. That experience opened my eyes. I saw what was happening behind the scenes in humanitarian response. I saw how systems worked—and sometimes, how they did not. I saw spaces where I could contribute more meaningfully. 

As a Refugee Status Determination Officer, I help people fleeing war, persecution, and violence find protection. I meet them at their most vulnerable, often just after they’ve crossed a border or survived a life-threatening journey. My job is to hear their stories and help decide if they qualify for refugee status. In simple terms, I help them access safety through the law.I have worked in Ethiopia and now in Somalia.