The fourth State of the World’s Volunteerism Report (SWVR), Building Equal and Inclusive Societies, is designed to strengthen understanding on volunteerism and demonstrate its universality, scope, and reach in the twenty-first century.

Across the region, people volunteered to raise awareness of the need for urgent action for humanity’s future. Thousands more pledged to continue volunteering every year. UN Volunteers are important to our work with forcefully displaced persons in the region – thanks to them, we are able to reach people in need. --Ms Clementine Nkweta-Salami, Regional Bureau Director for the East, Horn and Great Lakes Regions of Africa, UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said in her social media message

Under a partnership with the Government of the Russian Federation established in 2018, UNV is offering UN Volunteer assignments in different areas of expertise for Russian nationals.

UN Volunteers have been key in improving food security in Cameroon to achieve WFP's zero hunger goal... Their youth, their passion for the work and their zeal to give out their expertise for humanities' sake makes them unique. -- Ms Wanja Kaaria, Country Director of WFP, Cameroon

The RESIGUI project delivers cash transfers and nutritional supplementation to 20,000 Guinean households. Funded by the European Union to the tune of eight million Euros, the project also assists communities in market gardening, rice cultivation, processing, storage and marketing of agricultural products.

This year, thirty UN Volunteers have been deployed in support of WFP operations in the Arab States. Of these, 23 have served in Lebanon, taking up roles in monitoring and evaluation, risk assessment, nutrition, public information and programme support. UN Volunteer Jad Bayram is an Operational Information Management and Performance Reporting Officer.  He contributes to knowledge products, including situation reports, country briefs, fact sheets and annual reports.

UN Volunteers serving with WFP make a difference every day. They bring their expertise and experience to the table, while helping the organization work towards its goal of zero hunger. 

Three years ago, I left Italy to join the WFP team in Mali, a magnificent country of around 19 million inhabitants. As I had visited the country while attending the Bamako Sub-Regional Conference on Female Genital Mutilation in 2006, I was excited to rediscover the its unique culture, beautiful nature and vibrant marketplaces. 

A UN Volunteer's journey in south-eastern Mauritania Sitting by the window on my first flight with the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) en route to Bassikounou, in the south-eastern part of the country, all I could see was the vast Sahara Desert. As I got off the airplane during a stop-over in Kiffa, heat blew into my face. The sand was playing with the wind. There was no shade. And it was about 45 degrees Celsius. The question on my mind was: how can people survive — and thrive — in a desert?  

UN Volunteers Frans Elinder (Sweden), Sohee Lee (South Korea), Usitha Rajeevan, Prabuddha Boralugoda, Sanaaree Manoratna, and Sathsara Deyalage (Sri Lanka), are from different countries and regions but have one thing in common: they are all serving with the World Food Programme (WFP) in Sri Lanka.