In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, 400 medical workers, teachers, specialists in community mobilization, youth and pensioners, all health volunteers, immediately came together to establish a new approach of help. They organized consultations for their fellow villagers, using materials from the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO). Though they cannot conduct live trainings because of the lockdown, they found a way to be available 24/7 via Telegram channel and calls.

During her assignment, Natsumi was able to meet experts from within and outside the UN system, as well as participate in networking events.  This experience has helped me to achieve my goals. Now, at the end my assignment, I can say I understand the basics of how this huge international organization works. --Natsumi Sawada, UN Volunteer with ESCAP

In 2015 UNDP’s country office in Ukraine established a health procurement project and became the first in Europe and Central Asia to do so. Alongside delivering vital medicines, the project’s key priorities were to provide support to the Government in creating a central procurement agency and establishing a modern health supply system in the country. The Health and Transparency programme, which took the lead in implementing the initiative from the UNDP, was supported by both National and International UN Volunteers.

As a young woman, I have always been motivated to create spaces for women to participate in decision making and take on leadership roles. I want to help eliminate barriers to gender equality in my country and region and accelerate achieving 50-50 by 2030 globally. --Ekin Su Yilmaz, UN Youth Volunteer with UN Women, Turkey

Viktoriia Unuchko started as a UN Youth Volunteer Administrative and Communications Assistant. She supports the Sustainable Development and Environment Portfolio within the UNDP/Global Environment Facility project "Removing barriers to increase investment in energy efficiency in public buildings in Ukraine through the ESCO modality in small and medium-sized cities".

This undertaking aims to develop young women’s leadership capacities to become agents of change for their communities, contributing to social cohesion. I strongly believe in the solidarity and connection between women. Young women need just a bit of support to experience big changes. --Aleksandra Jovanović

Roma belong to the largest ethnic minority in Serbia and are still among the most deprived communities, often facing discrimination, social exclusion and unequal access to employment, education, housing and health services. The 2017 Regional Survey on socio-economic position of vulnerable Roma in the Western Balkans, commissioned by UNDP, showed that the biggest challenges for social inclusion of Roma in Serbia are their high unemployment and inactivity rates. While the education aspect has improved for Roma, it is not resulting in their employment.

The Deputy Executive Coordinator (DEC) started IVD by volunteering at a local school in Sochi, leading a Lesson of Kindness. During the lesson, the DEC shared with 75 children and teenagers his thoughts on the importance of volunteering in Russia and globally, his family traditions of volunteering and his personal experience with the development of volunteerism internationally.

For IVD, we are organizing a national celebration of volunteers. This will include an exhibit on the Sustainable Development Goals and and a fair of volunteer organizations to celebrate volunteerism for the achievement of the 2030 Agenda. When:  7 December 2019, 10:00-16:00, at the Asia Mall in Bishkek