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.

Together with UN Women, three of these UN Volunteers serve in tasks related to administration, finance and programme support. Adam creates a detailed database of partners, including embassies, NGOs, and government authorities, and through this, she tracks projects and improves their visibility. Some of these projects advocate for gender equality, combatting discrimination and standing up for inclusion. Celestine finds employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for persons with disabilities.

“Empowering young people with digital skills can transform their future and lead to gender equality,” says Helwise Boya, UN Volunteer Innovation and Technology Officer with UNFPA in Benin. She is passionate about making a positive change through volunteering. Helwise supports the #Tech4Girls project, which has imparted digital and entrepreneurial skills to over 200 girls, opening new career paths and boosting their confidence.

Faris's volunteer assignment centered on the Regional Programme for Local Democracy in the Western Balkans 2 (ReLOaD2). The project funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by UNDP is aimed at supporting participatory democracies and EU integration in six countries in the Western Balkans — Bosnia and Herzegovina is one of them. 

Chawanagwa Nyirenda's grassroots experience with 14 communities in Malawi on climate change adaptation led him to the Young Talent Pipeline.

“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.

Christophe joined the World Bank in August 2022. He has since then contributed to some 15 World Bank-funded projects, one of which, was the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) in Senegal. As part of the project, he published the State of the Transport Sector Report and also supported documenting new strategies for enhancing road safety in Dakar.