Using sport as a means to include young refugees in Uganda

United Nations Volunteers
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Shuhei Nishiyama, UN Volunteer Associate Protection Officer was based in Nakivale, a refugee settlement, in Uganda between 2023 and 2024. He was with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and was responsible for monitoring youth projects in communities. His volunteer assignment was fully funded by the Government of Japan under the Japan-funded Global Human Resource Development Programme for Peacebuilding and Development (HRD). 

A friendship match bringing together young refugees into the fold of opportunities—was one of the highlights of Shuhei's assignment. Uganda hosts the largest number of refugees in sub-Saharan Africa, with 80 percent of the refugees across 13 districts.

Supporting peace and stability in Liberia and Nigeria

United Nations Volunteers
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Luis Fredy Díaz Sánchez from Colombia and Eugene Tenjei from Cameroon are UN Volunteers in West and Central Africa. Their volunteer service with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Liberia and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Nigeria shows the vital aspect of supporting local communities in building peace in challenging circumstances.

Luis is a UN Volunteer Law Enforcement Expert with UNODC in Liberia. He supports the work of Liberian officers to fight drug trafficking and organized crime. He trained some 900 officers in skills such as investigations and intelligence analyses.

UN Volunteers provide food security in Lebanon

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As Lebanon faces the most intense hostilities since the 2006 war, over one million people have been displaced, 90% in the past week, according to national authorities. In response, the World Food Programme (WFP) in coordination with the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, is providing emergency cash assistance to nearly 10,000 affected households in in Southern Lebanon. Since the outbreak of tensions in the region nearly a year ago, UN Volunteers Laila Hojeij, Maya Hamd, Reem Al Sarih, and Zeina Abbas have been working tirelessly with WFP to ensure vulnerable communities, including displaced people, receive the food and nutritional support they urgently need.

As Data Entry Assistant, Reem’s role involves managing grievances under the Emergency Social Safety Net program. She diligently addresses beneficiary grievances and ensures timely resolutions. “I work with various types of data related to grievances, cash assistance distributions, and beneficiary feedback. This data is used to identify trends, monitor program effectiveness, and inform decision-making processes,” notes Reem.

UN Volunteers lead nutritional resilience in Tunisia

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In Tunisia, climate change and economic challenges put a strain on communities’ livelihoods. Yet, behind the scenes, the dedicated efforts of individuals like UN Volunteers Wafa Hmadi and Takwa Khelifi serving with the World Food Programme  (WFP) in Tunisia, drives impactful change. From developing innovative climate adaptation projects to producing engaging public campaigns, these volunteers are not only supporting WFP’s mission. They also inspire a future where nutritious food and sustainable livelihoods are within everyone’s reach.

As a Resilience & Emergency Preparedness Program Associate, Wafa has been a driving force behind resilience-building efforts, helping at-risk communities prepare for and adapt to future challenges. “I have provided technical support and assisted in the development of various activities and processes of adaptation fund project submission, including emergency preparedness and response, resilience, and climate change adaptation, ensuring alignment with wider Program policies and guidelines,” she explained.

UNV highlights volunteerism progress at CICA Youth Council Rally in Kazakhstan

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The event brings together 19 international delegations to exchange ideas and best practices in volunteerism across the region. 

On not giving up and keeping your voice raised

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I am Dorice Mkiva, UN Volunteer Knowledge Management Officer with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Dar e Salaam, Tanzania. My inspiration comes from never giving up and that's the message I give to everyone—fight for your dreams.

In a society that often lacks trust in young people, it’s much worse for young persons with disabilities. I have a physical disability since I was three years old and started using crutches to walk at the age of twelve.

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