The community health volunteers movement has proved to be an effective instrument in awareness-raising campaigns in rural areas. Since the first round of training during 2012-2015, more than 1,644 community health volunteers have been working in the remote areas of Karakalpakstan. The volunteers are residents of local communities who spread the knowledge about the types of diseases prevalent in the region, their symptoms, preventive measures and importance of timely medical checkups.

The joint United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme Social Innovation and Volunteerism in Uzbekistan Project is harnessing the social innovation of young people to tackle development challenges. By providing training, advocacy, and grants to young innovators UNV is helping to unlock the talent and entrepreneurial skills of Uzbek youth, many of whom previously lacked opportunities to contribute to development.

Tashkent, Uzbekistan: Few people realize that, although currently there is no cure for HIV, the existing medicine has turned HIV into a chronic disease, with which HIV-positive people can and do live long, productive, flourishing lives, and have HIV-negative partners and children. Moreover, if taken correctly, modern medicine minimizes the risk of HIV transmission to others and allows partners to take preventative medicine. Yet, misunderstanding and stigma persist.

UN Volunteer Marco Federico Alvarez is one of the creators of the solid waste recycling campaign initiated in October 2013 by the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). Since then, the 32-year-old volunteer has been touring the MINUSTAH offices to train sanitation workers, raise awareness amongst his colleagues and inspect the various locations with the aim of recycling 25% of the waste produced by the MINUSTAH offices.

Since September 2010, Souley Garba, a UN Volunteer from Niger, helps the young people in Hinche, Haiti, to develop economic activities while protecting the environment; and this in parallel to his day-time responsibilities as UNV Electoral Officer with the regional office of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH).

By day, UNV Field Engineer Officer Magloire Buffalo-Bill provides all manner of  engineering support and services to the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) and its clients. Managing a staff of 20, he plans, designs and carries out new construction, and renovates, rehabilitates and alters existing facilities on demand and now, as required by mission downsizing.

Tashkent, Uzbekistan: For as long as she can remember, Madina has loved to study and discover for herself the traditions and cultures of different Anglophone countries. Despite initial fears about the challenges of assuming a teaching position without formal pedagogical training, her desire to contribute something to society and to share her knowledge with younger generations prevailed and still remains her daily source of motivation.

Three months after joining the Justice Section of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) as a UN Volunteer in 2010, Miriam Talah was assigned to coordinate the regional office in Gonaives. As a UNV Judicial Affairs Officer, she conducted daily visits in the Peace Court, Court of First Instance, Court of Appeals and detention centre, where she witnessed the prevailing injustice many Haitians face.

Tashkent, Uzbekistan:  The Ecological Boomerang project – or 'Eco-Boom', as people commonly refer to it – began its activities in Fergana in September. A joint initiative of UNV and the UNDP resource centre in Tashkent, and financially supported by UNV Uzbekistan under its IYV+10 Mini-Grant initiative, the project began its first training of trainers in October.

Tashkent, Uzbekistan:  It was a great honour for me, as the national IYV+10 Coordinator in Uzbekistan, to directly participate in the celebration of the birth of the United Nations. We enjoyed a gorgeous autumn day in Tashkent on Monday 24 October, still blessed with vitamin D from the sun.