Jonathan Andriambalohery: Turning my challenge into my strength
There are some 130 UN Volunteers who served in various United Nations offices in Madagascar throughout 2023. One of these volunteers is Jonathan Andriambalohery, UN Volunteer Communications Assistant. Jonathan promotes the work of UN Volunteers in Madagascar by creating photos, videos and writing articles. And as such, he highlights how important volunteerism is for sustainable development.
Jonathan turned the challenges presented by his disability into strength, showcasing his determination and perseverance. Along with content creation, he also manages local social media accounts, creating impactful content to show the achievements of UN Volunteers and their impact on society.
Jonathan embodies hope, determination, dedication and passion.
However, the road to promoting the work of everyone has not been without challenges and hurdles. Jonathan feels that he encounters challenges with multi-tasking due to his disability. But his perseverance outweighs his inhibitions. He feels nothing is beyond his reach.
His supervisor has been his disability-champion, whose support has been invaluable for Jonathan. Empathy and mentorship of his colleagues have gone a great way for him. His colleagues had this to say about him, “We're very proud to have Jonathan in our UNV Madagascar team. No one has even noticed his disability, so remarkable are his achievements. In fact, despite his disability, he has managed to turn it into a strength through his motivation, skills and determination to overcome his weakness with other assets. And that has given our team a boost.”
Jonathan has shown that he can do more than most to overcome his disability. -- Testimonial of Norah Razafimandimby, UNV Country Coordinator and Jonathan’s supervisor.
Jonathan’s motivation to volunteer with the United Nations stems from his personal experience. As a child, he fell sick and was looked after by volunteers. He resonated with their selfless action. He now volunteers with the same spirit, his mission to help others as much as he can.
While Jonathan also provides communication support for the workshops and events his office organizes, he feels that the most rewarding aspect of his assignment is to be able to interact with other UN Volunteers and together make a difference in the world.
Jonathan’s skills are invaluable for his office. His efforts have helped to increase the visibility of UNV in Madagascar and further elevate the outreach to more young people like him wishing to volunteer with the UN.
This article was produced with the kind support of Vibhu Sharma, UN Volunteer Communications Specialist for Disability Inclusion. For more information on volunteering opportunities, please click on how to become a volunteer.
