This summer UN Volunteers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) organized volunteering initiatives aimed at improving people’s lives. After a call for projects by the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme in DRC, several initiatives were put forward, each very different from the other, but all with one common objective: to improve the quality of life in the communities.

Trincomalee, Sri Lanka: When I was in high school in Kenya, I participated in various volunteer programmes for palliative care centres and hospitals as part of my studies (I needed to complete 500 hours). This instilled in me a set of values that compelled me to act on deeply held beliefs about the importance of helping others. At the beginning it did not feel voluntary as it felt like an obligation. However, with time I owned the values and felt the need and urge to volunteer to better my community. Values I hold to date.