Every day at the office looks different for Océane. Some days, she travels to a detention center outside Phnom Penh to meet with a detainee. On other days, she attends a trial. But her focus is always on delivering recommendations that improve prison conditions and the treatment of prisoners through legal reform. 

Sára's real work happens far from meeting rooms. She’s in Chișinău. Listening to refugees. She is part of protection working groups advocating for people who’ve been uprooted, broken, and forgotten.“I help organizations speak up for refugees. I make sure help gets where it’s needed—fast.”

The signing ceremony, held at UNV headquarters in Bonn, was attended by the First Deputy Director of the Youth Affairs Agency and the Director of Management Services of UNV. This reaffirms Uzbekistan’s commitment to promoting youth engagement and international volunteerism. The Uzbek delegation was represented by the Youth Affairs Agency and the Association of Volunteers of Uzbekistan.

Liu served as a Communications Assistant with UNODC from September 2024 to March 2025, focusing on Sustainable Development Goal 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions. Originally assigned to New Delhi, Liu faced unexpected visa delays that kept her working remotely for several months. Undeterred, she continued collaborating across borders until she finally landed in Kathmandu, Nepal—her first experience of UN life on the ground.

Sihyun's volunteer journey began after earning a degree in Science Education in the Republic of Korea. She volunteered through a KOICA project at a youth center in Takeo, Cambodia. Witnessing the health gaps faced by young people inspired her to pursue a Master of Public Health in the United Kingdom. Immediately after graduating, she joined the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) MENA Regional Office in Amman as a UN Volunteer Health Officer.

Growing up in Ecuador, Ae Young saw Latin America’s social struggles up close—and they stayed with her. She’s driven by a commitment to support vulnerable communities and promote gender equality. This opportunity didn’t just connect her to a cause—it brought together her Korean roots and the place that shaped her worldview.

Dayoung served as a UN Volunteer Education Associate in Timor-Leste from August 2023 to August 2024. She was driven by her dedication to UNESCO’s mission and the strength she admired in the Timorese people. Dayoung reflects on how preserving the past can breathe new life into a place once defined by trauma. 

After she graduated, Yoojeong discovered that being a Korean national, she could apply for the fully funded UN Volunteer opportunities with the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). She sent in her application for the role of a UN Volunteer Operational Data Management Associate with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). 

Haoming connects the dots from there to his volunteer journey as a fully funded UN Volunteer. He adds, "Through this graduate work, I realized that environmental issues are deeply intertwined with public health, economic behaviour, and social development.

As a student of economic statistics at Huazhong Agricultural University in Wuhan, Hubei province, Wu vividly recalls coming across the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) recruitment notice in May 2024. Without hesitation, she applied.  "I've always been passionate about volunteering and want to make a positive impact," she explained. This passion was evident throughout her university years. For three years, Wu was an active member of a public welfare committee, organizing and overseeing more than 15 volunteer events.