Samuel Kimani started as a national UN Volunteer Youth Leadership Coordinator with the Youth Sounding Board in May 2022. As part of the board, he helped establish the youth marker, which offers tools for mainstreaming youth across programming. One of these is a scale that rates progress in building youth confidence and establishing inclusive spaces. In the past, youth mainstreaming was simply about ticking a box. Now, youth working groups conduct a thorough analysis of all initiatives.

Excellencies, distinguished guests, dear volunteers, It is my honour to welcome you today, as we pay tribute to the late Mr. Atsuhito Nakata. Thirty years after his passing in 1993, we are here to remember the dedication and commitment of a young man, who chose to serve as UN Volunteer to help build a peaceful and democratic society in Cambodia.

Dr Sonia Bako (Niger) is an Obstetrician and Gynaecologist with UNFPA. On her watch at Buba Health Centre, Quinara region, maternal deaths have been reduced drastically.  Dr Bako, 51 years old, is in charge of community maternal and reproductive health care at the health centre. She contributes to UNFPA's mandate in ensuring that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe and that every young person reaches their full potential.  

Serving as a Public Health Specialist with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Khartoum, national UN Volunteer Mohamed Maher Saad works closely with the Federal Ministry of Health in data collection. He is supporting the development of a digital library which will make a health database and research available to medical personnel and students, who can also use it to publish studies and research papers.

Since the start of the pandemic, the Health, Nutrition and Population team of the World Bank has extended several projects in Indonesia. These range from improving the response to the COVID-19 pandemic and facilitating access to vaccines, increasing detection and treatment for tuberculosis, to finding ways in which the national health insurance system can cover the population with even more efficiency.

Namuli Annet Christine, Data Management Officer, WHO Uganda Namuli is Public Health Specialist who was recruited as a national UN Volunteer Data Management Officer with WHO in Uganda. She has always been motivated to create positive health impact in communities, in areas of prevention, detection and response to public health emergencies, especially disease outbreaks like the recent Ebola virus. Becoming a UN Volunteer gave her that opportunity.

Over eight million people in Pakistan flood-affected districts are in urgent need of health assistance and the risk of disease outbreaks is particularly high.

Arinaitwe Mary Immaculate, Psychosocial Support Officer with WHO Uganda Arinaitwe is an experienced psychologist who has been practicing in mental health and psychosocial support for over four years. Following years of building her skills, she became a national UN Volunteer, aspiring to grow professionally and network with experts from various disciplines.

In this role, my responsibilities span programme management and coordination, operational guidance, partnership building and capacity building. I ensure mothers and children receive quality integrated healthcare services. I collaborate with district health workers from community to national levels. Together, we remove hurdles hindering mothers and children from accessing quality health services. I help them plan their activities based on evidence and best practices.