As a Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Specialist with the World Food Programme (WFP) in Isiolo County, Blasio harnesses digital tools like mobile data collection and data visualization to turn complex information into actionable insights.

Among these volunteers is Akola Munyiri, who served as a Project Support Associate at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Regional Office for Eastern Africa (ROEA) in Nairobi, Kenya. Today, Akola’s experience provides us with an insider's look at the vital work that volunteers do to fight against trafficking.  

Persons with disabilities are often overlooked, and when they are considered, the focus is frequently limited to physical accessibility, such as ramps and infrastructure. While these elements are important, accessibility must go beyond the physical and extend into the virtual space. In today’s world, digital inclusion is crucial. The fact that you’re reading my story right now is possible because of technology, but this is not the reality for many others.

I knew that this is not the way I want myself or others to live—shares Priyanka. “I want people to be able to access whatever they need. So, being able to contribute to development, to turn my passions into purposes, I feel very fulfilled. It feels like a dream come true.”  From very early on, Priyanka had interest in International Relations—this was further motivated by being part of Model United Nations in secondary school. That curiosity soon led her to a degree in the same field and a goal of joining the United Nations.  

Compassion, commitment, impact—these are not just words for Okba Doghim—they describe his motivation to volunteer.

As a Resilience & Emergency Preparedness Program Associate, Wafa has been a driving force behind resilience-building efforts, helping at-risk communities prepare for and adapt to future challenges. “I have provided technical support and assisted in the development of various activities and processes of adaptation fund project submission, including emergency preparedness and response, resilience, and climate change adaptation, ensuring alignment with wider Program policies and guidelines,” she explained.

A friendship match bringing together young refugees into the fold of opportunities—was one of the highlights of Shuhei's assignment. Uganda hosts the largest number of refugees in sub-Saharan Africa, with 80 percent of the refugees across 13 districts.

Luis is a UN Volunteer Law Enforcement Expert with UNODC in Liberia. He supports the work of Liberian officers to fight drug trafficking and organized crime. He trained some 900 officers in skills such as investigations and intelligence analyses.

Jean-Martial Konan is a Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist who assists development projects. In his role, he brings together local governments and communities in Regional Monitoring Committees in the north of the country. Jean-Martial calls on young people and women to come up with solutions and prevent crises. The development projects he supports reached over 750 people, of whom 66 percent are women. 

My name is Sadoscar Hakizimana. I am from Burundi. I am a medical doctor by profession. I started my volunteer assignment roughly two years ago — in August 2022.