Aliya Mohamed Kosar, Refugee UN Volunteer Youth Community Service Assistant with UNHCR  Aliya is dedicated to empowering vulnerable individuals and communities, with a focus on addressing the unique challenges faced by youth. Born in Somalia, her first-hand understanding of marginalized communities fuels her commitment to supporting those at risk in improving their lives.

In 2018, we launched the Refugee UN Volunteer special initiative in collaboration with the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme, engaging refugees and asylum seekers in UNV assignments in their host countries. 

As part of his role with UNHCR Chad, Sido oversees WASH facilities, coordinates the installation of new infrastructure and ensures that WASH requirements are implemented by local partners. This increases groundwater resources, enabling refugees and host communities to improve agricultural production, provide water for their livestock and generate income through the sale of surplus produce. 

Nabin supports refugees through durable solutions and community-based protection. This includes counseling refugees, and serving in areas of child protection and prevention, and gender-based violence.  My innate passion for serving displaced people, particularly refugees, motivated me to work in this area and to be a UN Volunteer,” says Nabin.

In Kenya, UN Volunteers took part in the activities marking the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, 3 December, hosted at the Technical University of Mombasa. The event included a booth display and a talent show from special needs schools. UNV highlighted volunteer programmes and potential UN Volunteer assignments that are inclusive of people with disabilities.

In Yemen, UN Volunteers serving in Sana’a marked IVD with UNV Executive Coordinator Toily Kurbanov and UNV Regional Manager for the Arab States Christian Hainzl. The event was held at the premises of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and attended by representatives of UNDP, the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office and the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).

UNICEF and UNHCR, in partnership with governments and civil society organizations, have set up 26 Blue Dot safe spaces for children and women in bordering countries, each able to provide relief for 3,000-5,000 people per day. They are also mobilizing to treat the mental and emotional damage caused by the conflict. In Romania, Marina Feher became a national UN Volunteer with UNICEF to help the Blue Dot initiative, focusing on refugees in Isaccea, Tulcea and Galati areas.

With a professional background in Marketing and Media, and a thesis on Health Communications, Minh Pham, a national UN Volunteer Junior Communications Officer with the World Health Organization (WHO) in Viet Nam. Just as the fourth wave of COVID-19 pandemic hit the country, the population was in need of a lot of information about many issues. Minh was sent to the most impoverished areas of the country to document the vaccination efforts of frontline medical workers.  The people, despite living in harsh conditions, were very approachable. 

From 19-22 September, Ms Kyoko Yokosuka, UNV Deputy Executive Coordinator, visited South Sudan to meet with partners and UN Volunteers serving in the country.

At 25 years of age, I was a teacher in Australia, yearning to experience something new. Out of the blue, I was offered an opportunity to teach at a missionary school in central Liberia. I remember going to a nearby library to check where Liberia was in the atlas!