International Volunteer Day: Stories of Volunteers Changing Lives

The efforts of volunteers and humanitarian workers remain crucial in addressing the ongoing challenges. Let's hear from some of the volunteers who support United Nations on the ground in Ukraine and in the neighbouring countries.

“Volunteering is more than just helping—it’s a way to build a stronger society. Despite the challenges, we are still here. We don’t wait for circumstances to change; we become the change we want to see,” said Yulia Kutsokon, UN Volunteer Programme Assistant with UNFPA.

Online Volunteer, Marharyta Starynets served in an assignment related to social listening and digital engagement for the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Romania. "Social listening helps us understand what Ukrainians with temporary protection in Romania need by monitoring discussions on platforms like Telegram and Facebook. As Online Volunteers, we track key topics such as education, healthcare, and housing, compiling weekly reports to address their challenges. Social listening seems far more complex than it sounds. That's especially true in instances where we are dealing with different language mixtures and dialects that the tools might not understand. That's where my role comes in handy. For instance in some Ukrainian villages, people speak a mix of Russian and Ukrainian called 'surzhyk' and it's certainly not easy for social listening tools to catch on. Here my role is to read through social media posts, comments, and messages, and try to make sense of the communication."

“Despite technical difficulties and emotional stress, our work ensures that vital information reaches those who need it most”
Marharyta Starynets, Online Volunteer with UNICEF Romania.

Hanna Doroshenko, UN Volunteer PSEA Officer with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) shares, "Today, life in Ukraine is incredibly difficult—economically, materially, and emotionally. Ukrainian women, in particular, face severely limited opportunities. That is why I choose to volunteer. It is my way of contributing to the transformation of our society, of offering my humble share in the development of our nation."

“Volunteering not only inspires me but also changes me in the process,” said Hanna Doroshenko, UN Volunteer with UNDP Ukraine.

Polina Galagan, UN Volunteer Veteran Support Associate with UNDP shares, "I am happy with my work, but it is far from easy. Performing well in this field requires a deep understanding of the bigger picture, especially the psychological state of veterans. Our work focuses on training specialists who support veterans and their families, which means knowing every detail of their mental and emotional challenges.”

Andriy Kolobov, UN Volunteer Support Associate is part of UNV Ukraine, "As part of the UN Volunteers team in Ukraine, I felt immense pride when we swiftly deployed the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and UNDP personnel to help restore Ukraine’s energy security. We also supported the resettlement of people from Pokrovsk, a temporarily occupied territory."

“Witnessing the immediate impact of our efforts reinforced the power of volunteering in times of crisis,” said Andriy Kolobov, UN Volunteer Support Associate with UNV Ukraine.

Two hundred and sixty-four UN Volunteers, 63 percent of whom were women, served across Ukraine, primarily with UNDP, UNFPA, IOM, and UN Women in 2024. Their diverse fields of service addressed various needs, including crisis response, assessment for environmental damage, quality education for all, distribution of humanitarian aid, and more. Additionally, 80 Online Volunteers from six countries supported emergency response efforts through digital channels. Demonstrating compassion, courage, and commitment through volunteering. Standing in solidarity, United Nations Volunteers #WeAreStillHere.

Source: UN Volunteers