Eighteen months ago I took part in the United Nations Volunteer programme, joining the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. UNHCR is the UN agency dedicated to protecting and caring for refugees worldwide. At first, I wasn’t overly excited about the prospect of working as a “Volunteer”, because of the implications of the word. I felt that my role within UNHCR would not be as real or important as that of other staff members. However, with the support of UNDP’s UNV focal point, as well as that of my new colleagues at UNHCR, I started to appreciate what was to come. Upon my appointment, I was made to feel both fully engaged and a truly participatory member of the UNHCR team. In fact, I had the privilege of representing the organization on several occasions, especially when dealing with UNHCR beneficiaries in the form of refugees and asylum seekers. While I was recruited as an IT assistant, responsible for the maintenance of the network and servers, a good portion of my time was spent interacting with refugees. Listening to the plight of those less fortunate people is a moving experience beyond the capacity of words to describe. There are so many heart-wrenching stories that one listens to, but I found solace and gratification in that I could, in some small way, contribute to alleviating their pain and suffering. That experience has enabled me to learn a great deal about life, and appreciate how truly fortunate I am.
During my time as a UNV, I gained a lot of knowledge from interacting with local and international colleagues. While the work environment in the UN is very competitive and demanding, I enjoyed it immensely because I always felt that I was being challenged. Fortunately, I had the chance to visit UNHCR Headquarters in Geneva for training. While there I met with colleagues from other offices around the globe, and appreciated the true diversity of the UN system: different nationalities, races and languages, all joined together to serve one humanitarian cause. It is a very powerful sensation to feel that you are part of that great endeavor.
The idea of volunteering put me into the habit of contributing to others, yet at the end of the day, I feel I have gained more than I have given. I am glad to have taken this journey and will not hesitate to do it again.
I am also happy to report that before the end of my assignment, and only after 18 months of hard work and dedication, I now have a fixed position with UNHCR. My thanks go to the UNV organization for providing this opportunity for people such as myself to discover and to be discovered. I would also like to thank the UNDP office in Tripoli for their continued support and guidance.
That was my experience as UNV. I hope you try it yourself.
