SDG 4: Quality education, SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth, SDG 10: Reduced inequalities
Being African means enabling our communities to grow and thrive.
The spirit of Ubuntu—uplifting our communities.
Growing up, I noticed that young Africans are often encouraged to pursue set career paths like law, medicine, or engineering. But in a changing world, the question should shift from “What do you want to be?” to “What problems do you want to solve?”
02 December 2024
East and Southern Africa
Success stories
SDG 1: No poverty, SDG 2: Zero hunger, SDG 3: Good health and well-being, SDG 4: Quality education, SDG 5: Gender equality, SDG 6: Clean water and sanitation, SDG 7: Affordable and clean energy, SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth, SDG 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure, SDG 10: Reduced inequalities, SDG 11: Sustainable cities and communities, SDG 12: Responsible consumption and production, SDG 13: Climate change, SDG 14: Life below water, SDG 15: Life on land, SDG 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions, SDG 17: Partnerships for the goals
The common thread in these stories is that each of the protagonists was an Online Volunteer. Through their laptops, their smartphones, their tablets, Online Volunteers—as expert and dedicated as any other professionals in their field are—clicked away their share of assistance to humanitarian and development. We can’t see them—they’re conveniently behind a screen somewhere around the world. But we can see their work—it’s in plain sight all around us.
28 November 2024
Global
Success stories
SDG 2: Zero hunger, SDG 5: Gender equality, SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth, SDG 10: Reduced inequalities
In 2019, one of my films was screened in Germany, and a particular scene sparked unexpected reactions. It showed a family sharing a meal from one plate—a common practice in my Cameroonian household, symbolizing togetherness and community. Yet, some viewers interpreted it as a symbol of poverty, a reminder of how easily our cultural narratives are misread. In Cameroon, we sometimes joke by calling our country "The Continent," hinting at a wider misconception that Africa is one homogenous place.
25 November 2024
East and Southern Africa
Success stories
SDG 1: No poverty, SDG 2: Zero hunger, SDG 3: Good health and well-being, SDG 4: Quality education, SDG 5: Gender equality, SDG 6: Clean water and sanitation, SDG 7: Affordable and clean energy, SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth, SDG 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure, SDG 10: Reduced inequalities, SDG 11: Sustainable cities and communities, SDG 12: Responsible consumption and production, SDG 13: Climate change, SDG 14: Life below water, SDG 15: Life on land, SDG 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions, SDG 17: Partnerships for the goals
The global contributions of volunteers and their significance to peace and development worldwide remain largely unquantified. There are three challenges in this respect—the lack of comprehensive data sets on volunteering, the obstacles faced when attempting to compare these data sets, stemming from the use of various tools and methodologies, and the absence of a cohesive measurement framework.
25 November 2024
Global
Article
SDG 2: Zero hunger, SDG 5: Gender equality, SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth, SDG 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure, SDG 10: Reduced inequalities, SDG 13: Climate change, SDG 15: Life on land
As a young African at 20, I see the hurdles we face—climate change disrupting agriculture, limited resources affecting education, and political instability creating uncertainty.
Yet, these challenges ignite innovation.
I see it in the way my peers use technology to drive social change and transform agriculture. My work with Kilimo Green Farm revealed the resilience of Congolese farmers, who, against all odds, adapt to climate change with sustainable practices.
22 November 2024
East and Southern Africa
Success stories
SDG 3: Good health and well-being, SDG 4: Quality education, SDG 5: Gender equality, SDG 10: Reduced inequalities, SDG 15: Life on land
I am 34 years old and a teacher. I firmly believe that to solve Africa's challenges and enable young people to realize their dreams, we need to rethink our education system fundamentally.
Inclusion is essential; we should ensure that every child, regardless of origin, gender, or socio-economic status, has access to quality education.
We need to focus on keeping girls in school. Too often, girls drop out of school because of barriers such as early marriage, family responsibilities, and restrictive social norms.
20 November 2024
East and Southern Africa
Success stories
SDG 3: Good health and well-being, SDG 4: Quality education, SDG 5: Gender equality, SDG 10: Reduced inequalities
Sexual and reproductive health is not only vital for the social well-being of a girl child but also for her physical and mental health.
Most people from rural areas lack information on how to take proper care of themselves. For example, during my first menstruation, I was so naive that I fumbled through the basic steps of maintaining good hygiene. This was because I had no prior knowledge of what it was about. Not just menstruation—terms like safe sex, HIV prevention, mental health, and sexually transmitted infections were also very foreign to us.
18 November 2024
East and Southern Africa
Success stories
SDG 1: No poverty, SDG 2: Zero hunger, SDG 3: Good health and well-being, SDG 4: Quality education, SDG 5: Gender equality, SDG 6: Clean water and sanitation, SDG 7: Affordable and clean energy, SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth, SDG 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure, SDG 10: Reduced inequalities, SDG 11: Sustainable cities and communities, SDG 12: Responsible consumption and production, SDG 13: Climate change, SDG 14: Life below water, SDG 15: Life on land, SDG 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions, SDG 17: Partnerships for the goals
It is simply not possible to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) without including people at all stages, at all levels, and at all times.
Volunteering makes people part of the solutions. Volunteerism lets people and communities participate in their development.
15 November 2024
Global
Article
SDG 3: Good health and well-being, SDG 5: Gender equality, SDG 10: Reduced inequalities, SDG 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions
Yet, despite Africa’s richness in resources—diamonds, gold, and natural beauty—life here has its share of challenges. As an orphan raised by my father, I grew up without access to essential sexual education due to cultural taboos.
Like many, I became pregnant at 17, but I was fortunate to continue my education.
Today, Rwanda is working toward empowering young people through advocacy and awareness campaigns, fostering a brighter future.
06 November 2024
East and Southern Africa
Success stories
SDG 1: No poverty, SDG 2: Zero hunger, SDG 3: Good health and well-being, SDG 4: Quality education, SDG 5: Gender equality, SDG 6: Clean water and sanitation, SDG 7: Affordable and clean energy, SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth, SDG 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure, SDG 10: Reduced inequalities, SDG 11: Sustainable cities and communities, SDG 12: Responsible consumption and production, SDG 13: Climate change, SDG 14: Life below water, SDG 15: Life on land, SDG 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions, SDG 17: Partnerships for the goals
The Report sets out progress made by Member States and other stakeholders in creating opportunities for people from diverse backgrounds to participate in development processes through volunteering and working in partnership with volunteers to address challenges arising from conflicts, disasters and climate change.
22 October 2024
Global
Article