UNV Yemen: No Red Carpets, No Smooth Paths, Just Purpose —a blog from Yemen

In June 2018, I stepped once again through the doors of the United Nations Development Programme building in Sana’a. It wasn’t unfamiliar territory—this marked my fifth role there since 2002. But something about this return felt different.

“You’ll be hired when a project is born, and released when it ends." Words of my professor from the University of Bradford are etched in my mind from a couple of decades ago. A thought that has stayed with me ever since. Over the years, I moved between roles at United Nations entities, international organizations, and Islamic Relief—always ready for new beginnings. Between 2002 and 2012, I worked in areas related to reducing poverty, empowering youth, and advancing governance-related programmes. By the end of that decade, I thought I had seen it all.

New beginnings
Becoming UNV Country Coordinator was not just another post. My job was to establish the UNV Field Unit in Yemen and expand volunteerism in the middle of a national crisis. It was rewarding—but a hard road to travel. No red carpets, no smooth paths. Just purpose. 

I received strong support when I started my assignment, along with multiple online trainings and an onboarding workshop in Cairo. There, I met Toily Kurbanov, then UNV’s Deputy Executive Coordinator. I didn’t get much time with him until the end, when I went to shake his hand goodbye. He held my hand and said: “Look Abdullah, if I regret one thing in this workshop, it's that I did not talk with you enough.”  From there, I returned to Sana’a not just as a country coordinator, but as a committed UNV ambassador for Yemen—determined to take real action on the ground. This is what words of acknowledgment do—ignite a flame in you to keep at it, no matter the obstacles.

Test of diplomacy
In 2018, after a UNV mission, I received a call from a government office. Nervous, I informed one of the UNDP managers. He said, “Don’t worry—others have been called too.” At the meeting, the officers asked what UNV was doing. I explained. Days later, I saw him again—this time at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He smiled and said: “We’re happy UNV is hiring more volunteers.” My heart was back in place, with a quiet sense of victory. By December, we held our first International Volunteer Day celebration inside the Ministry, co-chaired by the Minister and the UNDP Representative. By the end of 2018, I was doing more than promoting UNV. I soon realized I was working through political sensitivities in one of the world’s most complex environments.

Data to deployment
In early 2019, we launched the Yemen National UNV Database. What began as a simple question—“Would UN entities be interested in recruiting nationals of Yemen?”—quickly evolved into something much greater. We gathered over 4,000 volunteer profiles, 21 percent of them were women, and I presented the findings and potential for action at the joint meeting with the UN in the country. It bore fruit, and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights recruited 20 Yemeni nationals as UN Volunteers. By the end of 2019, our numbers had risen from 11 to 28 volunteers. By 2025, the database had grown to 11,000 volunteer profiles, becoming a true national talent pool.

More than a photo
Later in 2019, Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator, visited Yemen.

Commenting on the relationship between UNDP and UNV, the Administrator said, "UNV is one of our most successful programmes. I encourage everyone to hire more volunteers. And don’t forget the Online Volunteering service—it’s excellent.” 

After the session, I asked for a photo. He agreed, “You’ll send the photo to Bonn, won’t you?” Today, that photo hangs in our UNV office in Sana’a—a moment that reminded me our work doesn’t go unnoticed.

Year of the pandemic
In 2018, during a walk through the UNDP garden in Sana’a, I met Dr. Florence, head of the UN Clinic. “I was a UN Volunteer in Haiti,” she shared. After 20 years in hospitals across Cameroon, she had joined the Haiti earthquake response as a volunteer. I didn’t know then how important that meeting would become. 

When COVID-19 hit in 2020, UN Resident Coordinator Lise Grande gathered us in the garden and announced the pandemic. The UN Headquarters was sending urgent guidance. Her message was clear: act together. The UNV field unit pulled together 71 doctors and 61 nurses from the database. Soon after, Dr. Florence and I formed a pandemic task force.

We hired 65 medical professionals for the pandemic task force and expanded UN medical services across seven cities. I worked late nights, made nonstop calls—living the spirit of volunteerism. Later that year, WHO Jordan called: “We heard about your work. Can you help us recruit UN Volunteers in Amman?” We did. Five Jordanian volunteers were deployed. That year, UNV Yemen earned deep respect, within the UN and among government partners, thanks to the dedication of our field unit.

The week of inspiration
In 2022, the International Volunteer Day in Sana’a was a moment for us at UNV Yemen to be center stage. Toily Kurbanov, whom I met when I first joined UNV, traveled to Yemen, this time as the Executive Coordinator, to celebrate the occasion with volunteers in a hardship duty station. I was responsible for much of the logistics in what was one of the most intense and meaningful weeks of my career. His words stitched courage into our seams. They were not only for me, but for all of us in Yemen, who, despite challenges, go on day after day, making sure the spirit of volunteering stays relevant. 

The Executive Coordinator spoke of his Yemen mission upon his return to UNV headquarters at a townhall: “UNV in Yemen is highly recognized as a system-wide service provider. The efforts to modernize and decentralize UNV have been clearly reflected in Yemen, as acknowledged by UN partners.” He wished all Bonn-based staff could have seen firsthand how their policies were making a real impact. 

The proof is in the pudding, as they say! UN Volunteer numbers increased from 11 in 2018 to 28 in 2019 to 119 in 2020. By 2024, there were 150 UN Volunteers in the country with 12 UN entities. 

What I feel today is a sense of pride and accomplishment, not just for my growth, but for the strength and credibility UNV Yemen has built. 

After more than a decade of relentless crisis and conflict, the people of Yemen are now facing what may be their most challenging year yet. Ongoing violence, economic collapse, and climate shocks deepen humanitarian needs. At the same time, critical aid is dwindling due to severe funding cuts. 

Volunteers go on doing what they're best at! Compassion and solidarity. So no red carpets for us, here, in Yemen, but it's a path full of purpose.