By late 2025, the clock was closing in—and the numbers weren’t.
UN Volunteer, Harith Sami Abdulhameed, who had been working as a Sustainable Development Goals Assistant with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Iraq, stared at the data with growing urgency. A city-wide survey in Baghdad—measuring how young people experienced healthcare, education, and government services—had gathered just 1,700 responses. It needed 3,000.
There were only 7 to 10 days left.
For many teams, this would have marked the end of ambition—a quiet acceptance of the gap. But Harith and his colleagues saw it differently. If the data mattered, the effort had to match it. So they made a bold call: don’t scale back—scale up. Within days, their small team of 20 Online Volunteers would become 70.
The young matter
The survey was part of a global effort to track progress on how satisfied citizens are with public services. In Iraq, the focus was on young people aged 15 to 29. This group makes up a large share of the population but is often left out of policy discussions. The data collected was not based on general opinions. It captured the direct, lived experiences of young people using public services every day. For UNDP and Iraq's Commission of Statistics, reaching 3,000 responses was essential. Only then would the findings be credible enough to drive real policy change.
Working closely with the UNV regional office in Jordan, Harith screened and selected 70 Online Volunteers. After an orientation meeting, he connected everyone through a single messaging group, a simple but highly effective coordination tool. That group quickly became more than a messaging channel. Volunteers shared updates, answered each other's questions, and solved problems in real time. They also kept each other motivated. What started as a coordination tool grew into a community.
"The communication platform evolved into more than just a coordination tool; it became a dynamic UNV hub, a space where young people exchanged ideas, supported each other, and genuinely felt part of a meaningful initiative. This level of engagement and peer connection was unexpected," explained Harith.
Three Days to get from 1,700 to 3,000
Online Volunteers reached youth where they already were—through social media, personal networks, and peer-to-peer conversations. When hesitation surfaced, they stepped in, explaining the survey’s purpose and its role in improving public services. Emphasizing its joint UNDP–government backing and transparency helped build trust.
In just three days, they gathered over 1,100 additional responses—pushing the total past 3,000 and meeting the deadline.
"I faced some challenges due to limited awareness within the community about the importance of such initiatives, which sometimes affected participation and engagement." Abdallah Alshaha, Online Volunteer
What this meant for Iraq
Iraq is working to rebuild trust after years of instability. When young people see their voices reflected in decisions, it brings communities and institutions closer. The data will help UNDP and national partners spot gaps in public services and guide further improvements.
"What I am most proud of during my participation in this volunteering is that it gave me the opportunity to bring forth the voice of youth and contribute to enhancing transparency and the development of this country." Mostifa Hamza Jaber, Online Volunteer
Stronger together—Onsite and Online
For Harith, the experience showed him how he saw his role. Not just supporting the work—but helping bring people together, build trust, and get more voices involved. The mix of Onsite and Online Volunteers proved simple and effective—an approach others could easily use, especially when time or access is tight.
When Harith wrapped up his UN Volunteer assignment in March 2026, those 3,000+ responses told a clear story: what a small team can do when people rally around a common goal—even through something as simple as a messaging group.