A lifetime of volunteering: a retiring UN Volunteer looks back on his journey

At 70 years of age, Sam Stembo served as a national UN Volunteer Expert and Project Manager with the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme in Sri Lanka. Throughout his life, he has been passionate about volunteering, starting from the young age of fourteen. Having dedicated over five years as a UN Volunteer, he happily retired in February 2023. Looking back on his volunteering journey, he feels a sense of fulfillment and pride in having contributed to the volunteer agenda, particularly in addressing socio-economic crises.

With a Doctorate in Business Administration, Sam joined UNV in 2013, bringing with him extensive experience and expertise in project management, marketing, and agro-enterprise development. Reflecting on his journey, he says, "Volunteering has been my passion since my youth."