From Syria to Sweden: channeling energy to uplift persons with disabilities
Chavia Ali (Syria) serves as a UN Volunteer Assistant Research Officer with the UN Development Programme (UNDP). Although she is assigned to the Regional Bureau of Arab States in New York, , due to COVID-19 Chavia has been telecommuting from Sweden, where she sought refuge several years ago. In this article, we feature Chavia's experience as a UN Volunteer with a disability serving on an assignment funded by the Government of Sweden.
Having experienced discrimination herself, Chavia has always felt the need to dedicate herself to tackling challenges faced by persons with disabilities. For as long as she can remember, volunteering has always been her passion.
During her university years at Aleppo University, Syria, Chavia founded an advocacy organization for persons with disabilities. "At the time, I was fortunate enough to have my father’s support, so I was able to fully dedicate myself to improving the everyday lives of persons with disabilities in my home country," she recalls.