A linguist in Thailand, Busawan Kachonnarongvanish has a Bachelor's degree in Arts and a Master's degree in Economics and Development Studies. “Tasked to translate survey dissemination guidance from English to Thai, I have gained insights into best practices for data collection centered on the principle of upholding empathy and respondent confidentiality. Translating collected responses from Thai to English opened my eyes to a myriad of challenges that the target audience has encountered.

Like many young Africans, I saw potential where others saw waste. The olive by-products often discarded became my inspiration. I embarked on a mission to transform this "waste" into valuable products that sustain both the environment and the people around me. This initiative called OleaRevive isn’t just about sustainability; it’s a story of empowerment. Through our work, we’ve created opportunities for rural farmers, women, and youth, helping them turn what was once seen as worthless into something meaningful, economically and socially. 

Being African means enabling our communities to grow and thrive.  The spirit of Ubuntu—uplifting our communities. Growing up, I noticed that young Africans are often encouraged to pursue set career paths like law, medicine, or engineering. But in a changing world, the question should shift from “What do you want to be?” to “What problems do you want to solve?” 

As a young African at 20, I see the hurdles we face—climate change disrupting agriculture, limited resources affecting education, and political instability creating uncertainty. Yet, these challenges ignite innovation. I see it in the way my peers use technology to drive social change and transform agriculture. My work with Kilimo Green Farm revealed the resilience of Congolese farmers, who, against all odds, adapt to climate change with sustainable practices. 

Leyla started her volunteering journey with UNDP as a Project Clerk. She provides administrative support, maintains project documents, and assists communication across many levels. "I am keen to contribute to a culture of inclusivity within the team and ensure that women's voices are heard and valued at every stage of the project." Leyla shares.

I am the focal point of UPSHIFT with UNICEF. which aims at youth social innovation.  

In supporting decent work and economic growth with IOM, I took the lead in youth entrepreneurship and expanded opportunities for young people's skill development. This was an important part of reducing the flow of irregular migration and improving Sierra Leone's economic development.

Samuel Kimani started as a national UN Volunteer Youth Leadership Coordinator with the Youth Sounding Board in May 2022. As part of the board, he helped establish the youth marker, which offers tools for mainstreaming youth across programming. One of these is a scale that rates progress in building youth confidence and establishing inclusive spaces. In the past, youth mainstreaming was simply about ticking a box. Now, youth working groups conduct a thorough analysis of all initiatives.

With a population of over 50 million people and borders with eight different countries – it’s safe to say the United Republic of Tanzania is an important player in the East African region. The United Nations plays a significant role in Tanzania, with 23 UN agencies working closely with the government to implement development and humanitarian activities – including the hosting of over 300,000 refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi.

The Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) and the National Service Scheme (NSS) are among the world’s largest youth volunteering schemes. They aim to help young people to reach their full social, economic and human potential, while instilling a strong sense of civic engagement facilitating greater youth participation in achieving sustainable development goals collaborated with Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India.