Pakistan ranks among the top 10 countries most vulnerable to climate change. It is prone to natural disasters such as floods, drought and heatwaves, which trigger a multitude of issues. The recent devastating floods of 2022 inundated one-third of the country. They affected 33 million people, mostly in Sindh and Balochistan provinces and caused 1,700 casualties. 

Ana Paula Machinha and Ramos Cassimo are national UN Volunteers serving with the World Food Programme (WFP) in Mozambique. They share stories from their involvement in the humanitarian response, revealing efforts to counter the cost of the humanitarian crisis in the country. Ana Paula Machinha, national UN Volunteer Field Monitoring Assistant with WFP

With a wealth of knowledge and skills, Liudmyla always felt a calling to serve in places where help was most needed. Through her assignment, she strives to reduce waste and prevent the harmful effects of open waste burning, which causes air pollution and jeopardizes public health in Central, Eastern, Western Equatoria and Jonglei States.

Jean Bosco Bavuge embarked on his volunteering journey with MINURSO as a Water and Sanitation technician in 2021. Aiming to achieve efficiency and minimize risks, he facilitates the optimized utilization of natural resources. Jean's expertise lies in designing effective water and wastewater treatment facilities, while ensuring compliance with international safety and environmental standards. He actively shares his extensive knowledge to strengthen his colleagues’ capacity, including military peacekeepers, in the realm of water and waste management.

As part of his role with UNHCR Chad, Sido oversees WASH facilities, coordinates the installation of new infrastructure and ensures that WASH requirements are implemented by local partners. This increases groundwater resources, enabling refugees and host communities to improve agricultural production, provide water for their livestock and generate income through the sale of surplus produce. 

As one of the fastest-growing cities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Bukavu faces challenges due to the lack of clean water. According to provincial water supply, the population of Bukavu has grown from 650,000 in 1993 to three million presently.

Raymonda Chamoun, Ghiwa Farah and Youssef Saab serve with UNDP Lebanon in water and irrigation engineering. Together, they support the Environment, Climate and Energy Programme to better manage the country's natural resources. They operate in collaboration with local municipalities and civil society organizations.

UN Volunteer Shiho Jinno (Japan) and national UN Volunteer Mercy Ochieng Odhiambo serve under UN-Habitat's Waste Management Initiative, which aims to create a safe and healthy environment for all and ensure that no one is left behind in the process.

My Name is Emmanuel Chileshe Musonda, and I am currently serving as a UN Volunteer Health and Nutrition Associate at UNHCR's Kawambwa field office in the Mantapala refugee settlement. As a UN Volunteer, I mainly support the planning, implementation and analysis of health and nutrition projects in the refugee settlement. From a strategic standpoint, I provide technical guidance and programmatic recommendations on the overall design and focus of public health and nutrition programmes in the settlement.