"After months of uncertainty, of longing for home, today is the day I return. This journey has been filled with challenges, resilience, and hope. Each step back home brings a flood of memories—some painful, some warm. Displacement is more than just leaving a place; it’s leaving behind a part of yourself. The streets feel familiar yet different, carrying the weight of what was lost and the promise of what can be rebuilt.

Youth, which represents the majority of Madagascar's population, is both a challenge and an opportunity for peacebuilding amidst social, economic, and cultural tensions.

“As a Hmong woman with a physical disability, meaningful participation has been one of my major barriers,” Seevue says. She supports the UNDP Disability Inclusion portfolio in its work with the Organizations of Persons with Disabilities, and actively promotes raising awareness on leaving no one behind.

In a remote village in Zambia, I am not just building infrastructure, I am building resilience, relationships, and respect. Every day, I wake up to lush landscapes, fresh air, and the voices of a community that, at first, was unsure about my presence. For me, volunteerism is all about authenticity, excellence, and integrity. It means embracing the environment I find myself in, accepting the reality of working in communities, and finding purpose beyond my comfort zone.

Early warning and response mechanisms to prevent the escalation of conflicts is the core of Alizée's volunteer assignment. She has contributed to the Early Warning and Early Response system in Kaduna State in North-western Nigeria, and thus helped establish local peace committees to mediate community disputes.

A linguist in Thailand, Busawan Kachonnarongvanish has a Bachelor's degree in Arts and a Master's degree in Economics and Development Studies. “Tasked to translate survey dissemination guidance from English to Thai, I have gained insights into best practices for data collection centered on the principle of upholding empathy and respondent confidentiality. Translating collected responses from Thai to English opened my eyes to a myriad of challenges that the target audience has encountered.

The broader goal of sustainable development, with justice and inclusivity as its central pillars, is deeply cherished by Armaan. His daily routine includes enhancing case management processes in courts nationwide. His work directly links to Sustainable Development Goal 16—Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions ensuring that legal proceedings are more transparent, efficient, and accessible.

  Leading the day-to-day operations for LEH GO GREEN is Emmanuel Korkolie, UN Volunteer Project Officer. He oversees 15 UN Volunteers and coordinates with partner organizations to make sure the project stays on track. He also designs monitoring and data collection tools to track project outcomes. These tools used weekly and monthly, are essential for assessing the progress of the project and for overall accountability.

On December 5, International Volunteer Day, 2024, the United Nations Development Programme Administrator, Achim Steiner, called on our communities to recognise and appreciate the contributions of one billion volunteers worldwide. These volunteers support local and international communities in various contexts, including crises. They engage both on-site and online, working on tasks ranging from supporting individuals to organising large-scale events. Their impact is undeniable. 

My dream had always been to work in construction and pursue a career in electrical engineering. However, the accident forced me to reconsider my future. Refusing to let my disability define me, I set small, achievable goals throughout my rehabilitation. While these accomplishments may seem minor to some, for someone like me, living with a disability, they were monumental. Each success strengthened my determination to embrace life with my new prosthetic leg. Accepting this new reality was not easy, and I struggled to share my story.