As a student of economic statistics at Huazhong Agricultural University in Wuhan, Hubei province, Wu vividly recalls coming across the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) recruitment notice in May 2024. Without hesitation, she applied.  "I've always been passionate about volunteering and want to make a positive impact," she explained. This passion was evident throughout her university years. For three years, Wu was an active member of a public welfare committee, organizing and overseeing more than 15 volunteer events.

“My UN Volunteer assignment gives me a platform to promote inclusion," Karima says. “In spaces where women’s perspectives are often overlooked, I have tried to make sure they are part of the decision-making process.” Karima grew up seeing very structured gender roles. What women can and cannot do, and the limitations placed on them. Entering the workforce and later supporting international development, she saw the same trajectory where leadership roles were quite often dominated by men.

Following the 2011 revolution in Libya, Amera got an opportunity to coordinate educational programmes for underprivileged children in Tripoli. She then took up a UN Volunteer assignment with UN Women.

"I have always been drawn to investigative research—understanding what’s happening in the world and exploring the political landscape. I feel most connected at the intersection of communication, journalism, and environmental issues. My awareness of the environmental injustices began after high school, when I volunteered with a local NGO in Uganda through Weltwärts, a programme supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)," shares Alexandra.

Daisy is from France. She discovered UNV while at university, and after graduating, she started a UN Volunteer assignment as a Health Economics Analyst for UNDP’s HIV and Health unit. 

"After months of uncertainty, of longing for home, today is the day I return. This journey has been filled with challenges, resilience, and hope. Each step back home brings a flood of memories—some painful, some warm. Displacement is more than just leaving a place; it’s leaving behind a part of yourself. The streets feel familiar yet different, carrying the weight of what was lost and the promise of what can be rebuilt.

Globally, persons with disabilities comprise 16 percent of the world’s population, approximately 1.3 billion people. In Asia and the Pacific, more than 750 million persons with disabilities often face unequal access to a range of rights, opportunities, and social services. 

“As a Hmong woman with a physical disability, meaningful participation has been one of my major barriers,” Seevue says. She supports the UNDP Disability Inclusion portfolio in its work with the Organizations of Persons with Disabilities, and actively promotes raising awareness on leaving no one behind.

I never imagined how deeply volunteering could change my life. Like many, I once thought of it as something purely humanitarian, offering a helping hand in times of crisis and bringing relief to those in need. But stepping into the world of gender advocacy and women’s empowerment through UN Women has redefined what it means to be a volunteer.

In a remote village in Zambia, I am not just building infrastructure, I am building resilience, relationships, and respect. Every day, I wake up to lush landscapes, fresh air, and the voices of a community that, at first, was unsure about my presence. For me, volunteerism is all about authenticity, excellence, and integrity. It means embracing the environment I find myself in, accepting the reality of working in communities, and finding purpose beyond my comfort zone.