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.

Bhone's family was among some 1.9 million people affected by Cyclone Mocha. His house was destroyed. But he stood at the fore supporting recovery efforts as part of UNDP’s rapid response and early recovery initiative.

Xiaerbati was part of a team that provided vocational training and entrepreneurship opportunities to women from rural areas in Qinghai Province. These opportunities made it easy to access renewable energy, boosting agricultural productivity and mitigating climate change. “Volunteerism plays a pivotal role in fostering long-term economic empowerment of women by creating sustainable support systems and fostering community resilience,” says Xiaerbati.

In Nepal, UNICEF supported the Government of Nepal to ensure widespread measles and rubella vaccination for children. In four key provinces, 281,233 children aged 9 to 11 months were vaccinated.  As a Social Behaviour Change Officer, Ashok Kumar Joshi has brought his expertise to UNICEF’s immunization programme since September 2023. He contributes to raising awareness among mothers, caretakers, and decision-makers on the importance of timely vaccination.

To tackle infectious waste, the comprehensive healthcare waste management project was implemented in Myanmar, which provided health risk reduction to 8,105,310 beneficiaries. Nway Eint Chei was part of implementing the project. She gave technical inputs for comprehensive healthcare waste management training materials, monitored project progress, shared COVID-19 vaccination waste management knowledge, and prepared donor reports. 

My motivation to become a UN Volunteer stems from my belief in the power of every individual to effect change and contribute to the creation of a more just and sustainable world. --Naida Spahic, UN Volunteer Grant Investment Package Monitoring Assistant with UNDP, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

As an ardent supporter of gender equality and women's rights, Jeta Krasniqi has always been deeply passionate about creating positive change and empowering marginalized communities. This passion led her to become a UN Volunteer, serving as a Gender Equality and Partnership Associate with UN Women. In her volunteer role, Jeta actively contributed to addressing gender disparities, promoting inclusivity, and supporting the empowerment of women and girls.

“Volunteering with UNICEF has helped me expand my knowledge on child protection issues and develop a passion for advancing children’s rights,” says So Dam Hong, a UN Youth Volunteer who supports adolescent empowerment to end child marriage in India, a core strategy of UNICEF.

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. 

Volunteers have contributed to the success of our strategic deliverables at all levels in the field and the region. --Othman Belbeisi, IOM Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa