Yi Nam Xu (Deanna) is a UN Volunteer with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) supporting sustainable urban solutions for local communities in Lao People's Democratic Republic. She is a Knowledge Management Assistant and manages the organization's data system. Her assignment is fully funded by the Agency for Volunteer Service, Hong Kong (SAR China).
With a background in Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics, Deanna sees her volunteer assignment with the United Nations as a platform for meaningful contribution to sustainability—something she's been passionately pursuing as part of her university studies as well.
I consolidate climate vulnerability and disaster risk data from diverse UN entities and development partners into a unified platform, thus enhancing data accessibility and improving urban planning and decision-making processes.” Yi Nam Xu, UN Volunteer with UN-Habitat.
The volunteer assignment aligns with UN-Habitat’s drive for sustainable urbanization and climate resilience of local communities—aptly linked to Sustainable Development Goal 11 for Sustainable Cities and Communities, and Goal 13 for Climate Action.
Deanna is also involved in organizing the 3rd Lao National Urban Forum, uniting stakeholders to champion sustainable urban development and address urbanization challenges in the country. She introduced innovative digital communication tools like cloud services and AI that gave her team many more opportunities to collaborate and become efficient.
Dr. Avi Sarkar, Regional Advisor for South-East Asia, UN-Habitat, and Deanna’s supervisor commends her commitment and expertise in her role as a UN Volunteer.
Deanna’s innovative approach to data management and her passion for sustainable urban solutions have significantly advanced our mission. Her ability to bridge her urban insights from Hong Kong to the serene landscapes of Lao has not only enriched our work but also set a benchmark for future volunteers." Dr. Avi Sarkar, UN-Habitat's Regional Advisor for South-East Asia.
One of Deanna's strengths is turning trials into triumphs. Despite the limitations of resources and data in Lao, she has found opportunities of how to come up with solutions. She has proactively mapped out diverse data sources to centralize data. In addition, she hopes to bring urban insights from Hong Kong to Lao.
Through the UN Volunteer assignment, Deanna has improved her professional skills in spatial analysis and data management. The experience had also reinforced her motivation to support projects that align with her career goals of environmental sustainability.
Volunteering is about connecting with society and nurturing a better future for all.” Yi Nam Xu, UN Volunteer with UN-Habitat.
On World Cities Day, we celebrate the creative solutions of youth climate changemakers such as Deanna and many others like her who address the challenges of urbanization and contribute to sustainable urban development around the world.